Sometimes impulsive acts are the best
by Mad as Hell
Summary: Life takes a different turn when Catherine and Grissom make two unexpected discoveries at a crimescene (GC guaranteed) - Updated: ADDED chapter 9!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: do you honestly think, that if we owned them, we'd be sittin' here and writing fanfiction? (CSI and it's characters belong to CBS, Jerry Bruckheimer etc. We don't own them, just using them for fun! Gold Coast Hotel also exists, we're just borrowing it's name ;))  
  
A/N: Our very very very first fic together! Be gentle, please ?? And thanks to our wonderful, magnificent Beta: Anne !!!!!!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Grissom locked the Tahoe and watched Catherine hurry off to the crime scene. He had no idea why she was in such a hurry or why it amused him. He shook his head then tilted it slightly to take in his surroundings. Gold Coast Hotel and Casino. Just one mile west of the Strip. With a heavy sigh he quickly concluded that, at first glance, nothing seemed suspicious on the outside. Not suspicious for Vegas, that is.  
  
Tearing his gaze from the white building and its impressive arches, he looked down at his scribbled notes, the ones he wrote down just 20 minutes ago when Brass called him about the case.  
  
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Double homicide.  
  
Male and female.  
  
Registered at the Hotel as 'Mr. & Mrs. Helban '  
  
Booked a room for four, two bodies were found.  
  
Arrived today.  
  
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Cath opened the door of the hotel room and looked around. "Sheez, what happened here, World War 3?" she asked one of the police officers. "No ma'am, I think this was an assault that escalated." he said, and glanced at the mess around them. "Poor devils." he sighed. Cath looked up and saw what he was looking at. "Yeah" she said and looked around the room once more. "What's behind that door?" Cath pointed at a white door, to the left of the entrance.  
  
"That's probably the bathroom, but we haven't been in there yet. We also just arrived here, so I can't tell you much more than the details we already gave your supervisor".  
  
Suddenly, a phone rang. Both Cath and the policeman reached for their cell phone but it appeared to be his. "Oh excuse me, ma'am, I've got to take this call," the man said and walked off. Cath nodded briefly, looked around again and then headed for what she assumed to be the bathroom.  
  
The door wasn't locked. Since not of all the rooms had been cleared yet, she knew she had to be cautious. Softly Catherine pushed it open and immediately saw that she wasn't alone in there. "What.. the... hell...?" she mumbled to herself.  
  
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Grissom nodded at the uniform standing at the front door and tapped his LVPD ID-card. "Grissom", he mumbled, and entered the room, instantly scanning it for Catherine. He turned to face the cop. "Excuse me. Has this room been cleared?"  
  
The cop nodded. "We were finishing up when the redhead stormed in."  
  
"Right." Grissom frowned, placed his kit on the floor and carefully began scanning the room a second time.  
  
Small hallway leading to some sort of living area with a couch, a table and a couple of chairs. All made of the same dark wood. A cheap imitation of mahogany, he assumed. There were two white doors, one that probably lead to the bathroom, the other to the only bedroom. Also, a lot of golden accessories. .......Vegas.  
  
The body of the man laid spread out in the living-room area, close to the hallway. "Shot in the chest, at close range." Grissom mumbled to himself, pulled out his camera and took a few shots of the DB.  
  
The second body lay in front of the door leading to the bedroom. The door was slightly open. It was a woman, in her mid-thirties. Shot in the back.  
  
Grissom walked around the bodies and was so caught up in his thoughts about theories, motives and possible murder weapons that he completely closed himself off to the outside world. Until he heard something coming from the bedroom.  
  
Annoyed that this 'noise' had interrupted his thoughts, he half-growled "Cath?" When she didn't answer, he rolled his eyes at the creamy-white ceiling adorned with golden angels and tried to determine what the source of the unidentified noise was.  
  
It appeared to be some soft sort of thumping.  
  
Intrigued, he followed the noise until he came to a stop in front of one of the large wooden closets in the bedroom. Slowly he reached for the door and then forcefully pulled it open.  
  
Startled, he took a few steps back.  
  
A girl.  
  
A little girl.  
  
She was sitting up, her back pressed against the back of the closet, her knees tightly pulled up against her chest. She'd been either softly kicking or knocking on the closet door. Her face was pale, her greyish-green eyes red rimmed from crying. She didn't acknowledge his presence but instead stared at the closet floor, her dark blond curls resting on her shoulders.  
  
She looked so scared and fragile, he was afraid to speak.  
  
After a quick glance over his shoulder, to see if maybe Catherine was around to help him with this 'situation', Grissom looked back at the frightened young girl.  
  
"I...I'm with the police." He showed her his ID-card. "My name's Gil Grissom. Can you tell me yours?"  
  
The girl stiffly shook her head twice and avoided his gaze. After a few minutes of silence, she whispered, "Reese."  
  
Relieved that she was talking, he crouched down in front of the dark wooden closet and tried to smile at her reassuringly.  
  
"So. Don't you want to get out of this closet?" He carefully reached out a hand to her.  
  
She shook her head furiously, her curly hair swinging from side to side.  
  
"Are you.....are you hurt?"  
  
Again, she shook her head.  
  
"Can you tell me your last name?"  
  
At first she didn't react.  
  
"You can't tell me your last name?"  
  
"No."  
  
Grissom cleared his throat uncomfortably. Of course he wasn't going to pull her out of that closet, but she needed to get out of there, get checked out by the medics. She could be in shock, hurt and most likely was an eye- witness to her parents murder.  
  
"Um...Cath...Catherine? Can you come over here?"  
  
Catherine was oblivious to her partner's calls. "Hey there little one." She kneeled down and pushed the shower curtain a bit further open.  
  
The girl stared at her with fear in her eyes.  
  
"Care to come out of there? The water must be getting cold?" Cath whispered. She reached out to the girl and immediately regretted it. It was almost as if the child was trying to climb up the wall. She was obviously terrified.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, my name is Catherine, do you want to tell me yours?"  
  
The girl in the bathtub was looking at her as if Cath had two heads. Don't do that to me, Cath thought to herself, don't you dare go in shock.  
  
"A-alexis," the girl suddenly said with a shaky voice. "That's a very pretty name," Catherine said relieved and smiled at her.  
  
"Who are you?" Alexis asked and gave Cath a quizzical look.  
  
"My name is Catherine Willows and I'm with the Crime Lab" Cath replied. She noticed that the girl was shivering, and felt the water. It was far from warm and Cath wondered how long Alexis had been sitting there. "You still don't want to come out of there?" Alexis thought about the question for a few seconds and then decided that it wasn't very comfortable in the cold bathwater either, and that Catherine seemed like a nice woman.  
  
Cath handed her a big yellow towel and saw that she had some clothes lying on a pile near the washbasin. "You think you can get dressed on your own?" Cath asked her when she helped the girl step out of the bathtub. Alexis nodded carefully.  
  
"I will be right back, and you stay here until I come and get you ok?" Alexis nodded again. Cath gave her a reassuring smile and stepped out of the bathroom.  
  
"Grissom!" she called out, stepping into the living room.  
  
"Cath!" He came running from the bedroom.  
  
"There's a child in there!" they both said at the same time, Cath pointing at the bathroom and Grissom pointing at the closet where he had found Reese.  
  
"What?! How could the police have missed.....There are two kids?" Cath said, somewhat shocked.  
  
"Apparently" Grissom said dryly. "The hotel manager did say that the Helbans rented this room for four persons. Looks like we just found the missing two. Their daughters."  
  
Catherine sighed and shook her head sadly. "I have to get back in there, that little girl was freezing cold. She must have been sitting in that tub for hours. "  
  
Grissom nodded. "You two," he gestured at the cops outside the room, "get us some paramedics in here. We've found two little girls, possible witnesses." He turned around. "I'll be right back." Catherine nodded and headed back to the bathroom as he walked out the living room into the narrow hallway.  
  
"Wait?"  
  
Grissom spun around and saw the girl attempting to crawl out of the closet.  
  
In an instant he was beside her but unsure of what to do, he crouched down next to her again, looking at her helplessly.  
  
"Are you ok? ..Do..... you need me to help you up?"  
  
She had her eyes closed. "I don't want to see."  
  
"I understand." He answered softly, glancing over his shoulder to the living room, where the bodies lay.  
  
A loud yet familiar voice broke the silence. "Paramedics should be here in ten." He heard Brass coming from the hallway. "Grissom. What a mess, huh?"  
  
"Brass." Grissom gestured at the girl sitting next to him.  
  
"Sorry. About that.... and being late. Traffic's a BI-......" He eyed the girl, "- t annoying. Sara and Warrick will be here in 10 as well."  
  
Grissom frowned. "Why? We can still process this crime-scene, Jim."  
  
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Meanwhile, Alexis had gotten back into her clothes. "Where is Reese?" she asked when Cath came back in. "They are dead, aren't they?" Strangely enough, Alexis' face didn't seem to show any emotion.  
  
"Reese is in there, and I think she's also looking for you." Cath hesitated. "And yes,... I do think that your parents are dead, honey". Thank god they are lying in the other room, she thought to herself.  
  
"I want to see Reese." Alexis simply stated, without reacting to the comment that her parents were quite likely to be dead. She walked past Cath in search of her sister, but suddenly stopped dead in her tracks and spun around.  
  
"Will you come with me?"  
  
"Of course I will."  
  
Catherine walked out, holding Alexis' hand who had an amazingly firm grip for such a little girl.  
  
"Lexi?" Reese's shaky voice came from around the corner.  
  
"You must be Reese." Cath said and looked up to Grissom, who nodded.  
  
"Good, why don't you and your sister come with me, and then..."  
  
"NO!" Reese almost shouted and opened her arms to her younger sister. Alexis let go of Catherine and ran to her sister.  
  
"Close your eyes." Reese whispered to her.  
  
The adults looked at them sadly, all unsure of what to do.  
  
"You guys go with them when the paramedics get here." Brass said finally.  
  
"No, this is my crime-scene, I can't..." Grissom started, raising his voice.  
  
"Yes, you can." Brass cut in. "It's alright; the rest of the team's already here, so you two are free to go. Get them checked out, get their statements...just...do what you gotta do. You found them. "  
  
Grissom sighed and watched Catherine lead the two girls out of the hotel room. "We found them."  
  
- TBC - 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Disclaimer: See first chapter A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews and encouragement!!! If you keep the feedback comin', we'll keep those chapters comin' ;) Also again, thanks to wonderful Anne, Mar and allll the graveyard girls.  
  
At the Desert Palms hospital Cath was nervously pacing up and down the hallway.  
  
"Will you come sit down for a second? You're acting like it's Lindsey in there." Grissom said, a bit annoyed after a while.  
  
That remark startled Cath a little. "What? Yeah, maybe you're right." She sat down and continued to gaze into the examination room every 2 seconds.  
  
Grissom looked at Cath then followed her stares to the room where the two girls were being examined. He opened his mouth to say something comforting to her, to make up for his harsh comment earlier but at that moment his cell-phone started to vibrate in his pocket.  
  
"Grissom, it's me."  
  
"Jim. How's the case going?"  
  
"The bodies are being taken to the coroner. I'll let you know if he finds anything. Any news on the two girls?" Brass asked him.  
  
"Still being examined." Grissom quickly answered, still wanting to be involved in the case. "Did Warrick and Sara find anything?"  
  
"Well, they're not who they want us to believe they are." Brass said cryptically.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"What's in a name? That which we call-"  
  
"Jim.....you're beginning to sound an awful lot like me." Grissom said, frowning.  
  
Brass sighed. "It was worth a shot. Anyway, the db's are not Mr. and Mrs. Helban."  
  
"Thank you." Grissom said dryly. "Then who are they?"  
  
"That we don't know yet, but we're sure as hell figuring that out ASAP." Brass answered.  
  
"Ok, fair enough." Grissom looked at Catherine who was once again gazing into the examination room. "Got anything else?"  
  
"Yeah, actually." Brass hesitated a little. "You think you can try to ask those kids what they saw? Or just, who they are, a last name, anything? Because, right now, we've got... * zilch*."  
  
"Umm.." Grissom said, and glanced at Cath for a second.  
  
"What? What does he want?" she whispered, leaning in.  
  
'Interrogation', he mouthed and pointed at the exam room.  
  
"What? Has he gone completely crazy?" she spat and tried to pull the cell phone out of Grissom's hands to give Jim Brass a piece of her mind. How the hell could he believe that interrogating two traumatised little girls who had just lost their parents, was a good idea?!  
  
Luckily, Grissom saw her move coming and avoided it quickly. "Will you cut that out?" he hissed.  
  
"Fine" she shot back. "But we are not finished on that one yet, mister!"  
  
"Jim? You still there?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm here, what was that all about?" he asked.  
  
"Oh......nothing, just a little misunderstanding." Grissom said airily. "But I don't really think those children are ready for questioning yet." he added quickly, after Cath gave him a 'don't you dare' look.  
  
"Hmmm." Brass answered "Just try to get them ready, ok? We can't afford to wait too long. Gotta go now, Bye."  
  
"Yeah, sure. Bye." Grissom put his phone back in his pocket. "What was that all about?" he said, annoyed.  
  
"Are you blind?" Cath said, angrily. "Reese and Alexis are obviously not ready to..."  
  
"Excuse me?" Grissom cut in. "What was that?"  
  
"I said that Reese and Alexis are n-"  
  
"There, you did it again" he interrupted, leaning back in his seat, watching her calmly.  
  
"Did what?"  
  
"You call them by their names. And you're being....unreasonable. Yanking the phone from my hands. To me that means that..." He sat back up again. "Look, I don't want you to get emotionally involved because this case involves two small children."  
  
"Now what's that supposed to mean? I can't call them by their names? What should I call them, then? Girl number one and girl number two?" She hissed back, not wanting to raise her voice as two doctors passed them.  
  
"What I meant was that you can't..." Grissom stopped when he saw the door and watched a nurse come out with Reese and Alexis.  
  
"Hey there!" Cath spun around and her face lit up when she saw them. The nurse nodded at her reassuringly and Alexis walked over to Cath and grabbed her hand again.  
  
"We're not sick." Alexis whispered.  
  
"I'm glad you're not." Catherine smiled back.  
  
Reese hesitated and then slowly walked over to Grissom. She smiled at him weakly, not sure of what to do.  
  
He instead looked at the nurse for confirmation and his lack of reaction to Reese didn't go unnoticed by Catherine.  
  
"They're fine, Mr Grissom." the nurse answered. "Psychically that is."  
  
"Good. That's good news. Thank you." Catherine said, relieved.  
  
"So, let's go?" Grissom looked at her for conformation.  
  
She nodded in response, but as they walked the girls back to the Tahoe, she mumbled a low "This conversation isn't over yet", leaving behind a very confused Grissom.  
  
When they were all seated and buckled up, Grissom carefully asked Catherine, "To the lab?"  
  
"Yeah." Cath sighed. "Let's go."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ( at the morgue)  
  
"Hey Gil." Al Robbins greeted the grey supervisor. "Where's your lovely partner?"  
  
"Hey Al." Grissom nodded, his eyes fixed on the body in front of him. "Cath is with the kids," he mumbled absent-mindedly, not noticing Al's twinkling eyes and small smile as a reaction to his comment. 'They act like they're already married,' he thought. Which was something that was, of course, inevitable in the eyes of the coroner.  
  
"I heard about the two girls from Warrick and Sara. Shouldn't you be there with Catherine? You know, offer some support. They've been through a lot."  
  
"Um, yeah, guess so..I..uhm..." Grissom started uncomfortably. Al noticed that, and for a split second, he could almost swear he saw his friend blush, but he then decided to change the subject.  
  
"I figured you'd want the specifics on these two, even though Sara and Warrick already have my report."  
  
"You know me too well." Grissom agreed, smiling. "So, what do you have for me?"  
  
"Quick run through, because I have to go: Jane Doe, 30 to 35 years old. 5'6", gun-shot to the back, hit her right lung, when right through. Exit wound, no bullet."  
  
Doc Robbins moved over to the other table. "John Doe, 35 to 40 years old, shot from close range. Hit him straight in the heart." He made some sort of an explosion sound and used his hands to dramatise the effect even more.  
  
Grissom looked up in surprise and his eyes twinkled in amusement.  
  
"So, my special effects are a little bit off these days......" Robbins cocked an eyebrow. "Anyway, pulled a bullet out of him. Sara took it to ballistics. You'll find my report with Warrick but there isn't really something that stands out on this case. No distinct marks on the bodies, I collected a few samples, did a few swabs, but nothing so far, I'm afraid. As for time of death, from what I can tell they died this morning, somewhere between 4 and 8 AM. " He glanced at his watch. "But I need to get going now."  
  
He carefully pulled the sheets over the two victims. "My wife hates it when I'm late and especially when you're the reason of me being late."  
  
Grissom nodded. Officially, the case was still his, but Sara and Warrick were actually working on it. "Tell her I said.....'Hi' or 'Sorry' ...You pick the one that works best."  
  
"Will do. See you tomorrow, Gil. If you need anything, David is covering for me. I told him to forward any information to you as well. Good luck on the case."  
  
"Thanks for everything, Al."  
  
Robbins waved at the grey supervisor, but the action was lost on the latter, who was pondering the details of the case and was too lost in his own thoughts to notice.  
  
A woman and man check into the Gold Coast Hotel.  
  
They bring two children, presumably theirs.  
  
They're both shot.  
  
Witnesses? Possibly the children. Motive behind the murder? Murder- weapons? Who are these people? What did the children see?  
  
He glanced around the room one last time before switching off the light. " 'It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers '. ... James Thurber."  
  
Meanwhile, Cath was sitting in the break-room with the two girls, who were both drinking a glass of milk. An hour ago, they'd been examined in one of the interrogation rooms for possible traces from the crime scene. She glanced at them, noticing how awfully quiet they were in comparison to Lindsey. The buzzing of the TV was the only sound to be heard.  
  
Catherine got up from the couch and slowly walked over to the table, where the girls were seated.  
  
"So" she began cheerfully. "You feel better now?"  
  
Alexis nodded but Reese barely responded.  
  
"Can I ask you two some questions? It won't be about the hotel-room, I promise."  
  
Reese averted her eyes and stared at the empty glass in her hands. Alexis nervously glanced at her older sister.  
  
"Like, ....what's your favourite color?"  
  
Reese looked up in surprise and Alexis started to smile. "Pink!"  
  
Catherine grinned. "And your favourite color, Reese?"  
  
Reese looked at her warily. "Blue, I guess."  
  
"And your favourite animal?"  
  
"Dog! Puppies!" Alexis chirped.  
  
Reese shrugged. "A tiger. Or a lion."  
  
"Do you have any pets?"  
  
Reese frowned but Alexis cheerfully said, "Daddy hated dogs!"  
  
"Yeah?" Catherine smiled, glad that the youngest was opening up. "You know what Grissom's favourite animal is?"  
  
Alexis shook her head.  
  
"Tarantula's. Those big, awful, hairy, black spiders."  
  
"Eew!"  
  
"My daughter Lindsey, she's 9, almost 10, isn't scared of them at all." Catherine carefully watched Reese's lack of response to her questions.  
  
"Reese is 9 too!" Reese glared at her younger sister and gave her a little push.  
  
"Really Reese?" Catherine focussed on her now. "Then why are you being so quiet?"  
  
Reese leaned forward, her greenish eyes defiantly staring right into Catherine's blue ones. "Because I don't know you. STOP asking me questions."  
  
Catherine, unimpressed, leaned over the table as well. "I'm trying to help."  
  
"We don't need any help. We just want to go."  
  
"Go where?"  
  
"Away."  
  
Catherine was about to respond , when she saw Brass passing the break-room. "Oh. Come on, girls."  
  
When they walked through the hallway, in pursuit of Brass, Alexis pulled at Catherine's sleeve. "I do like you." she whispered.  
  
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TBC !!! 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 A/N: Thanks to Anne – you rule girl! Thanks for beta-ing our fic and all of your funny comments! Also big thanks to all the faithful reviewers and our Dutch Diva – MAR !!!  
  
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"Jim? Jim?" Catherine hurried her way over to the homicide detective, Alexis and Reese closely following. He was talking to a long, slim brunette holding a clipboard. Brass turned around. "Catherine, ah, there they are." He smiled at the two girls.  
  
"I'm Sophia Lancetti from Child's Services." The brunette extended a hand and Catherine briefly shook it. "Willows."  
  
Catherine knew they had to discuss the situation, without Alexis and Reese, so she asked Brass to take them to the break-room. Both girls acted nervous when they were told to go with Brass.  
  
"It's alright, he won't bite." Catherine smiled at them reassuringly.  
  
Reese glanced at Grissom, who nodded in return.  
  
"Come on, you two, let's see if we can get you something to snack!" Brass said, and led them to the break room.  
  
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When Grissom walked back to his office, Greg caught up with him. "Hey Grissom," he started, "I was wondering how that hotel shooting case was coming along?"  
  
"Not bad, as far as I know. Warrick and Sara are working it, you know?" Grissom responded and Greg nodded.  
  
The older man looked past the eager lab tech to the break room where he saw Catherine talking to Jim Brass and a woman he didn't know.  
  
"Earth to Gil Grissom...?" Greg tried to get his attention again, waving a hand in front of his face.  
  
"Yeah, what is it?" Grissom snapped back to reality again.  
  
"I was wondering if there was anything I could do on this case." Greg asked him. "Besides the usual stuff, that is."  
  
"Um...no...at least not right now." He gazed at Catherine and Jim again, and wondered who that woman was and what they were talking about. Could they be discussing the case without him?  
  
"Those the two girls you and Catherine found at the crime scene?" Greg wondered out loud.  
  
"Yes, that's them." Grissom said, distractedly.  
  
"I heard about them. I mean, the whole Lab knows their story." Greg suddenly said, with a soft sympathetic sigh. "Sara told me you guys didn't put them on your lists of suspects because there's no reason to believe that they're...anyway, I was like 'duh'!!! I mean, it must be horrible to witness your parent's murder. They're kinda alone now, aren't they?" He rambled on. "I mean, I heard that they have no family that you guys you know about, right?"  
  
Grissom nodded. "We actually hardly know anything about the kids; Catherine is kind of protective of them...and well... Studies have showed that it's best to protect traumatised witnesses, especially children, from long interrogations. Because of the trauma, they can be very susceptible to suggestion."  
  
"Right. Well, can't blame Cath for being protective of them. "Greg said, looking at the small group in the break room. Grissom gave him a strange look. "I mean, they've got no one left. No wonder they try to find some stability with you two." Greg sighed. "So, which one crawled out of the closet?" he asked Grissom.  
  
"The taller one," he pointed at Reese.  
  
Suddenly Reese looked up and saw the two men standing in the hallway. She weakly waved at Grissom. When he didn't wave back, she tried to catch his attention again, and waved at him once more.  
  
"Uh, Griss?" Greg said, "I think she's waving at you. First time today I've seen that one smile. Or even move."  
  
And then realisation hit the grey supervisor.  
  
"Yeah, I know, you're right." Grissom waved back at Reese and he smiled at her. Reese whispered something at her sister and Alexis also waved at him.  
  
"Well..." Greg said, also smiling at the two kids. "I'd better get back to work. All work, no play, right?"  
  
"Of course." Grissom nodded. "Oh, and Greg?  
  
Greg turned around. "Yup?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Greg was stunned, to say the least. "Um.....You're welcome, but tell me what I did so I can do it again."  
  
"This conversation." Grissom smiled and walked off to Catherine who was now talking to the woman by herself.  
  
"Sure, anytime, Boss-man." Greg had no idea what Grissom had meant, but was still proud of himself. He marched back to the DNA-Lab again, this time with a spring in his step.  
  
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When Jim and the kids left, Lancetti cleared her throat.  
  
"Well.." Catherine started. "I'm sure Captain Brass already explained to you that you can't just take these kids and put them...God knows where. They're possible eye-witnesses to a double murder. We have to protect them."  
  
"I know that," the brunette started. "I was called in to make sure that Alexis and Reese would be protected." She looked around. "Not just against the perpetrators. Against anyone."  
  
Catherine shook her head. "Anyone being...who? The police-force? CSI? Do you honestly think we're just going to use them for their statements and then get rid off them or something? Is that what you're trying to imply here? Look here, I'm going to forget you ever tried. "  
  
"Mrs Willows-"  
  
"Ms."  
  
"Ms. Willows," Lancetti started again. "This is my last call for the day. Alexis and Reese don't have a family, we don't even know their names....it's going to be difficult enough finding them a home as it is. Now, if you're not willing to cooperate...."  
  
"I'm being cooperative, I'm being as cooperative as any human being can possibly be! You know what? I'll take care of them. You can't put them in a shelter or something like that. I'm a mother myself; I can keep them with me for a few days."  
  
Lancetti glanced around nervously. "Miss Willows, it's against policy to-"  
  
"The youngest one trusts me, they'll open up eventually. But for now, they're scared, they're alone. They've been through God knows what. They need to be somewhere safe."  
  
"But surely you understand-" When Lancetti caught Catherine's angry and determined expressions, she started to mutter, "..but you're by yourself. And you already have a child-"  
  
"-She won't be by herself." Grissom interjected as he walked over to them.  
  
Catherine spun around. "Gil?" Where the hell did he come from? What was with the change of attitude? Oh, bless that man for making no sense at all.  
  
"I'll be there." He told Lancetti. "She's an excellent mother, who doesn't need any help. But if it will make you feel better, I'll be there."  
  
Lancetti sighed, and rubbed her forehead. "Look," she began and Catherine already knew what was coming. "I don't usually do this, but given this extraordinary situation, I will make an exception."  
  
Catherine was very surprised but also relieved.  
  
"But," Lancetti continued, "this is only a temporarily solution. We'll check in daily and I assume the two of you are no longer working this case?"  
  
"Not actively, no. It'd be conflict of interest," Grissom answered.  
  
"Alright then. As soon as we find out who they are, we'll start looking for their family, so I'm sure they won't be with you for long. Well....... I'll go start making some calls." The brunette sighed.  
  
"Really? That's great!" Catherine said enthusiastically.  
  
"And there's one other thing." Lancetti turned to Grissom. "I've heard that the oldest girl is kind of turning to you. "She glanced at Catherine, who nodded in confirmation. "I understand that you're also the one that found her."  
  
"That's true and I am fully aware of that. I will be there as much as humanly possible," he told her.  
  
"Ok, then we agree on that, now I've you'll excuse me" Lancetti got up and gathered her things. "We'll keep in contact daily."  
  
Cath nodded. "That's ok, it'll work out".  
  
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Reese and Alexis had watched everything and wondered where they had to go now.  
  
"I want to stay with Catherine. She's sweet to us. She smiles a lot and she has pretty hair," Alexis said to her sister.  
  
"Have you forgotten what happened? I just... don't know, Lexi," Reese shrugged stubbornly. "I don't know."  
  
She saw Grissom walking up to Catherine and the other woman.  
  
"What's going to happen to us?" Alexis asked.  
  
"I don't know," Reese shook her head sadly and looked at Grissom. He saw Reese look at him and smiled at her reassuringly.  
  
"Lexi?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Mr Grissom. He looks ....smart. I think...maybe, everything will be better now."  
  
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Lancetti gestured at her phone and excused herself, disappearing in one of the hallways.  
  
Catherine couldn't suppress the smile on her face as she watched the woman leave.  
  
"What are you smiling about?" Grissom asked, equally amused, but unsure what about.  
  
"I'm just....grateful."  
  
He frowned. "For what exactly?"  
  
"That underneath all your tough-acts, infamous haiku's, slightly disturbing collection of bugs and bottled animals....you're still kinda..... soft." She grinned. "But really, thanks for backing me up."  
  
Grissom shook his head. "Anyone would have done this."  
  
She cocked an eyebrow. "So, what's the plan?"  
  
"The plan?"  
  
"Yeah. This is a partnership, Gil. We'll need to divide our tasks. Figure out an approach."  
  
"Approach?"  
  
"Are you just gonna echo every last word I say, or are you that confused?"  
  
"Confused." He smirked, blue eyes sparkling.  
  
"Reese is not opening up. She already seems so serious for such a little girl. And by approach I mean, how are we going to get the truth out of them? Starting with their last name, ending with what the hell happened in that hotel room."  
  
"I have no idea. You're the one that's good with kids." He paused, and then added. "Children are all foreigners."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "To you."  
  
"To me......"He agreed. "And R.W. Emerson."  
  
Catherine shook her head, but before she could respond Lancetti returned, waving her phone. "I had to pull some strings,... 10 actually, but I've got an 'ok' on this temporary solution thing."  
  
"Good," Catherine nodded. "Let's go tell Alexis and Reese."  
  
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Catherine opened the door to the break room and saw the girls sitting in a corner. Lancetti was right behind her. Brass greeted them, and then left the room.  
  
"This is it," Reese whispered. "They're gonna take us away from each other. I just know it. This is what happens if you start to tell people stuff. I told you so."  
  
"No!" Alexis' lower lip began to tremble. "I don't want to leave, I want to stay with you."  
  
"Girls?"  
  
They looked up at Catherine, who took a chair and sat down next to them. "I want to ask you something." Tears welled up in Alexis' eyes.  
  
"Would you like to stay with me and my daughter for a while?"  
  
"Your daughter?" Reese asked softly, frowning a little.  
  
"Yes, Lindsey would love it..."  
  
"I would like to." Alexis said shyly and immediately looked at the floor, when she saw the other woman, standing behind Catherine, looking at her.  
  
Catherine noticed that children were both anxiously staring at Lancetti.  
  
"Oh my mistake." she turned around. "Reese, Alexis, I'd like you to meet Ms. Lancetti from ACS . She has agreed that you can both come stay with me for a couple of days."  
  
"Provided-" The slim brunette interrupted. "-you give us your last name."  
  
Alexis spun around and stared at her older sister, her eyes pleading for her permission.  
  
Reese looked from Catherine and Lancetti, to the trembling Alexis next to her. She nodded slowly. "Reese and Alexis Byrne."  
  
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TBC???? Let us know what you think !! 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 A/N: Thanks to: Anne, Mar & Marg ;) (Utrecht was a blast!!)  
  
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Grissom pulled the keys out of the ignition and glanced over his shoulder at Catherine's house. "We're here."  
  
Catherine turned around in her seat and unbuckled Reese and Alexis. "Let's go. We'll make you two something to eat and then put you to bed, okay?"  
  
They all got out of the Tahoe that Grissom had neatly parked in front of Catherine's place and walked up to the door.  
  
Alexis was sucking her thumb while Reese held her other hand, pulling Alexis along with her.  
  
Catherine rummaged through her purse, trying to find her keys, but before she did, the door was swung open by Lindsey.  
  
"Hi," she beamed.  
  
"Hey baby" Catherine leaned in and kissed the top of her head.  
  
Grissom nodded at her in acknowledgement and the two girls looked at the little blonde curiously.  
  
"Come inside!" Lindsey spun around and allowed the others to enter.  
  
Catherine immediately headed for the kitchen, dropping her purse on the coffee table when she passed it. Warily, Reese and Alexis followed her.  
  
Grissom sat down on the couch and Lindsey joined him. "Hi, Uncle Grissom."  
  
"Hey, Linds."  
  
They sat next to each other in silence for a couple of minutes, Lindsey intensely staring at Grissom, Grissom staring at the wall.  
  
"So, what exactly are they doing here?"  
  
Grissom smiled, knowing that Lindsey had been thinking about that for the last couple of minutes. "I thought your mom called you to ask if this was okay?"  
  
"She did," Lindsey nodded. "And I don't mind. But, what happened to them?"  
  
"They're here because they don't have anyone else. And they're a part of an investigation."  
  
"Are they orphans?"  
  
"They very well could be."  
  
"Weird." Lindsey wasn't sure what to think of this whole situation. She didn't mind at all about the two girls staying with them, but she wondered why they were here.  
  
Meanwhile, Catherine and the two little girls had come from the kitchen and Alexis and Reese were both munching on some sandwiches.  
  
"We're going upstairs, to get ready for bed." Catherine told Grissom and Lindsey, and the girls silently followed her.  
  
Grissom saw that Lindsey was thinking about what he had just told her. "You know what?" Lindsey looked up at him and shook her head. "You can help me and your mother with our investigation".  
  
Lindsey's face lit up. "I can? Really??"  
  
"Yes, you can help Reese and Alexis feel welcome here."  
  
"Oh. Okay...." It wasn't exactly what she'd been hoping for, but she then decided that if Uncle Grissom had asked her, it was probably important enough to do. "I'll go see if I can help them." Lindsey got up and ran upstairs.  
  
While Lindsey had been downstairs, Catherine was in Lindsey's room explaining everything they needed to know. "So, I know this is really 'weird' and scary, being in someone else's house so I want you to know, if you get scared or you'd rather stay somewhere else, just say so, okay?" The girls nodded.  
  
"Well, I guess that's it for now but don't forget: if you want to ask me something, I'm here." she smiled at the girls, who again nodded in understanding. "And if you need anything, just let me know and then I'll see what I can do."  
  
"Okay," Reese said uncomfortably as she eyed her surroundings. Lindsey's room looked strangely familiar. The yellow walls, the brightly colored stuffed animals, the dolls in pink dresses, pictures of Catherine and what Reese assumed to be Lindsey's father on her nightstand. There was one large Disney-poster literally taped to her door. Crooked.  
  
Just as Reese was staring at it, Lindsey opened the door to her room and saw her mother and the two girls. Catherine turned around.  
  
"Hey, I'm staying with you, right mommy?"  
  
"Yeah, that's right." Catherine told her. "You don't mind, do you?"  
  
"No." Lindsey shook her head enthusiastically.  
  
Alexis looked at Lindsey and then glanced around the room. "I like your room, it's pretty, right Reese?" She pulled her older sister's sleeve. Reese nodded briefly.  
  
"Ok, Lindsey, it's good that you're already up here, 'cause it's way past bedtime-" Catherine began when she saw Alexis unsuccessfully try to hide a yawn behind her hand.  
  
"-Mom, no please, just 5 minutes. I'm way too excited to go to bed NOW!" she whined.  
  
"No way kiddo, better luck next time."  
  
Lindsey sighed. "But let me just say goodnight to Uncle Gil, please?"  
  
"Ok, but just saying goodnight and that's it." Catherine turned to Reese and Alexis. "You also want to say goodnight?" They nodded and followed Lindsey downstairs.  
  
"Uncle Gil, we're going to bed." Lindsey chirped and gave him a kiss on his cheek.  
  
"Yeah, we have to go to bed too." Reese said softly and Alexis nodded in agreement.  
  
"Ok, you girls sleep well then. I'll be here first thing tomorrow morning." he answered.  
  
"Ok, and now its really time for bed, come on Lindsey." Catherine said and was already on her way upstairs with Reese and Alexis.  
  
"But I'm thirsty!" she called back. Catherine sighed.  
  
"Well, it's nice to meet you 'Thirsty' but you've still gotta go to bed."  
  
"One minute!"  
  
Catherine sighed, rolled her eyes at her daughter's stubbornness and continued to guide the two girls upstairs.  
  
"It's alright, I'll get her upstairs." Gil said.  
  
"Fine, but make sure she gets in there soon. One minute." She was too tired to argue.  
  
"I'll be right up, mommy I promise!"  
  
"You had better." she said, and wondered how long it would take Gil to get her to go to bed.  
  
Lindsey had finished her water in two large gulps and brought her glass to the kitchen.  
  
"Linds, the minute has passed..." Gil began.  
  
"I know." she replied and kissed him on the cheek again and walked to the stairs.  
  
"Goodnight Linds, I'll see you later." he smiled at her. Lindsey smiled back, waved and yawned again.  
  
"Lindsey!" they heard Catherine's voice coming from upstairs.  
  
"Cooooooooooming!" Lindsey called back.  
  
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Exhausted, Catherine plopped down on her lime green couch and leaned back. "So, Alexis and Reese have Lindsey's room for now, Lindsey can sleep with me. Which means, she'll sleep....and I won't."  
  
Grissom nodded.  
  
"I'm doing the right thing...right?" She ran a hand through her wavy strawberry blond hair. "Two strange kids.....two scared kids..."  
  
"Never doubt, never look back, remember?" He answered, leaning back as well.  
  
"Yeah, you're right." She shook her head and sighed. "So what are we gonna do now?"  
  
Grissom took of his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, we're not exactly working the case anymore, obviously. And, if it's okay with my supervisor, I think I'm going to stay with the kids for a couple of days and do that load of paperwork for him."  
  
Grissom tilted his head slightly. "I don't think your supervisor will have a problem with that."  
  
"Because he loves ducking case-reviews."  
  
"I'm sure he'll make it up to you."  
  
Though she was tired, her eyes began to sparkle. "He had better..!"  
  
He smiled and noticed how tired she looked. "Do you want me to make you some coffee?"  
  
"Hm?..Oh no, that's ok. My damn coffee-machine-thing makes worse coffee than I do back at the Lab."  
  
This time he cringed, remembering how much he disliked the coffee Catherine made at the Lab. He imagined it must be like drinking 'liquid-man' Sara and Nick had found in a bag in the desert two years ago.  
  
While Catherine was trying very hard not to fall asleep, he looked around the comfy living room, from the pictures on the wall to the collection of toys, pencils and sheets of paper on the floor. He wasn't sure what he'd call it, but.....it looked like a ...happy mess.  
  
"I think I'd better go." He picked up his jacket from the armrest and got up. Catherine followed him to the door. "Good luck with the kids, call me if you need me. And....could I come over tomorrow...?"  
  
She stifled a yawn. "I think that's a very good idea. Around 10?"  
  
"I'll be there. With coffee."  
  
"Bless you, Gil Grissom."  
  
He smirked and turned around.  
  
"I think you broke a record," she suddenly said.  
  
He gave her a confused look.  
  
"I don't think any sitter managed to get Lindsey to go to bed that fast. I mean, in actually one minute."  
  
He grinned smugly at that comment. "It wasn't that hard."  
  
"Well, you have no idea what it took others to get her to do what you achieved in 2 minutes." she grinned. "I just never knew you were that good with kids."  
  
"Well, to be honest with you, neither did I."  
  
"People have all kinds of hidden talents, I guess."  
  
"Yeah. Plus, it helps that she's a miniature version of you."  
  
"Riiiight. I just can't wait till she hits puberty."  
  
Grissom cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah..well." He hesitated for a second but then casually said, "See you tomorrow."  
  
Catherine opened the door and let him out. "Bye Gil"  
  
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She got back inside and switched on the television, flipped through the channels, but soon realised that it was getting incredibly difficult to keep her eyes open. Catherine switched of it off again and was about to go to bed when she heard a noise behind her.  
  
It was Alexis. She was standing in the middle of the dimly lit living room, dressed in one of Lindsey's old nightgowns.  
  
"Hey," Catherine said, attempting to sound cheerful. "What are you doing down here?"  
  
"I... couldn't sleep," the girl said and looked at the floor.  
  
"How come?" Catherine asked her, frowning.  
  
Alexis shrugged. "I'm not sure...can I stay here for a while?" she asked shyly.  
  
"Of course." Catherine smiled at her. Alexis sat down on the couch, next to Catherine.  
  
"How long are we going to stay here?" Alexis asked and looked up at Catherine.  
  
"Well, I can't tell you that for sure, but it's only for a couple of days probably. When we find your family you and Reese can go there."  
  
"But I don't want to go, and we don't have a family."  
  
"Honey" Catherine sighed as she reached out to push a strand of hair from the girl's face. "I know that......your parents are not here anymore, but I mean.... other family? Like aunts and uncles and..."  
  
"They weren't our parents."  
  
"The man and woman in the hotel room. They're not your parents....." Catherine's blue eyes widened in confusion. "Then who are...were they?"  
  
"Um..." Alexis began softly. "They told us that.....um."  
  
Catherine knew Alexis wanted to say something but that she just didn't know where to start. The girl's brown eyes nervously glanced from Catherine to the floor.  
  
"Hey" Catherine covered Alexis's hand with her own. "It's alright if you want to tell me something..."  
  
"They said we could never tell." She whispered.  
  
"But I'm with the police. If you tell me, maybe I can help?"  
  
Alexis sighed heavily and kept gazing at the floor. Her dark brown eyes and wavy brown hair were a sharp contrast to her pale skin. She was biting her lower lip and fumbling with a piece of her nightgown. "Maybe Reese will tell," she answered, slid off the couch and quickly ran up the stairs again.  
  
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TBC ??????????????????????? 


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5 

A/N: Thanks to all those who have reviewed! We love reading your feedback. Also: big huge thanks to Anne, our beta.  
  
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Lindsey slowly turned around in the big, comfortable bed and smiled at her mom, even though Catherine was still asleep.  
  
The little blonde reached out to touch her mother's strawberry blond curls but instantly pulled her hand back when she noticed the light fluttering of mother's eyelashes. Waking her mom, was never a good idea.  
  
Yawning, she sat up, rubbed her eyes and glanced at the alarm clock. 7:45 am. "Not bad" she whispered, giggled softly and slipped out of the warm bed.  
  
After tiptoeing around the room in search of her slippers for another 5 minutes, she took one last glance at the sleeping form in bed before quietly shutting the bedroom door behind her.  
  
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"Yoohoo?"  
  
Reese frowned when the door to their room slowly opened, revealing a cheerful Lindsey.  
  
"Sssh" Reese whispered and pointed at the still sleeping Alexis.  
  
Lindsey nodded and, for the second time that morning, tiptoed around the room until she had reached Reese's bed. "Did you sleep ok?"  
  
Reese shook her head. "Not really." In fact, she'd barely closed her eyes. The events of the last couple of days were catching up on her hard and fast.  
  
"Ow" Lindsey wasn't sure how to react. "Um, do you wanna go downstairs and watch Totally Spies? Or Sponge Bob?"  
  
Reese shrugged. "I don't wanna leave Lexi alone. She'll be scared if she wakes up here by herself."  
  
The two girls looked at the sleeping Alexis and then back at each other.  
  
Lindsey grinned, picked up a stuffed toy and threw it at Alexis. Reese was too shocked to do anything about it.  
  
Alexis, now fully awake, turned around so she was facing Reese and Alexis. "Who did that?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.  
  
"I did." Lindsey said with a dazzling smile. "Now let's go. Come one. Follow me."  
  
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Should he go in? It was still very early. Too early. Grissom glanced at the drivers- seat next to him that only held two paper cups of steaming coffee.  
  
He sighed and redirected his attention to the digital clock on the dashboard.  
8:28 am. So, he'd agreed to be there at 10? Catherine was an early bird, right?  
  
From the clock he glanced at the house and for the first time in the 20 minutes he'd been waiting outside in his car, he noticed that the drapes in front of the window were pulled open.  
  
"Thank God" he murmured softly.  
  
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Catherine slowly opened her eyes and glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. The clock said 8.00am. She turned around and realised that Lindsey had already gotten up. She knew that she had to get out of bed and see to the kids, but her eyes fell shut again and stopped her from leaving her bed.  
  
- - 9.00 am - -  
  
Catherine suddenly woke up and realised that it was already 9 o'clock and she was still in bed. Immediately thoughts of lost Alexis and poor Reese raced through her mind and she quickly got out of bed. She sped down the hallway to Lindsey's room, only to find it empty.  
  
"Now where the hell did they go?" Catherine wondered out loud.  
  
But all of a sudden she heard voice downstairs. One of them sounded like Lindsey, she also heard a male voice that sounded like.....like Gil?  
  
She glanced at her watch. "It's 9.15, what's he doing here?" she said to no one in particular. She put on a bright pink robe and hurried downstairs to see what was going on.  
  
"It's 9.15, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Well good morning to you too, Catherine" was Gil's suspiciously cheerful reply.  
  
"Would someone care to tell me what happened here?" she demanded, looking at the mess of crayons, dolls, candy-wrappers and sheets of paper around her. But at that moment Lindsey came back from the kitchen.  
  
"Ok, who wants ice-cream for breakfast?!" she said enthusiastically but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw here mother standing there. "Oh.... Hi Mom!"  
  
"Lindsey?"  
  
"Yes .....?"  
  
"Why are you standing in the middle of the living room with a huge box of ice cream ...at 9.15?" Lindsey looked around the room helplessly, trying to find a good excuse. "And since when do we have ice cream for breakfast?"  
  
"Since uh..."she wasn't sure what to say next. "...Today?"  
  
"I don't think so, go put it back." Catherine shook her head, pointing at the kitchen.  
  
"Ok." Lindsey slowly turned around and went back to the kitchen.  
  
"I thought you were so good with children?" she looked at Gil, who was stilling sitting on the couch, looking very amused.  
  
"Well" he began "Yesterday it was just Lindsey, now it was three of 'em."  
  
"I don't think Reese and Alexis were that bad." Catherine looked at the two girls sitting quietly on the left end of couch, their hair messy, their faces pale.  
  
"Yes, you're right, I think....things did get a little out of hand." he nodded.  
  
Catherine looked at the clock again, and then at Grissom. "I thought you weren't gonna be here until 10?"  
  
"Yeah, but I was kind of bored and decided to see if you could use some help" he said with a grin on his face. Actually, he wanted nothing more than to see Catherine again and of course help her, but...really.. he just wanted to see her. She wasn't going to be at work for the next couple of days anyway and he didn't want to miss her that long, he couldn't miss her that long. And that revelation alone had scared him more than it had surprised him.  
  
"Ok, fair enough." she smiled "Oh and I also remember something about coffee that you were going to bring"  
  
"I did, but now it's old and....cold."  
  
"Ah well, that's ok, I can make some too"  
  
"No, I promised to bring you some fresh coffee, so if you don't mind I'm going to get us new coffee." He got up and grabbed his coat. "I'll be right back" "  
  
"Um...ok? I'll clean up a little in here then." She replied, surprised at his offer.  
  
"I'll help you with that when I get back" he smiled at her and the 3 girls before shutting the door behind him.  
  
"Well now...." Catherine sighed, turning around, hands on her hips. "Did any of you have a real breakfast yet?"  
  
They all shook their heads.  
  
"Ok, then we'll go make some!"  
  
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Catherine took another sip and set her now empty paper cup on the kitchen table in front of her. Grissom had been watching the three girls playing outside from the kitchen-window, but turned around when he caught Catherine staring at him.  
  
"Lindsey seems to be very pleased that Alexis and Reese are here." He moved away from the window and joined her.  
  
"She is." Catherine nodded. "She's always begging me to 'give' her a little brother or sister. This is her chance to be the big sister and boss some kids around."  
  
"She's a really great kid."  
  
Cath looked up in surprise. "Well....Thanks!"  
  
He tilted his head slightly and frowned. He opened his mouth to say something, looked at Catherine and then stared at the paper cup in his hands.  
  
She followed his movements. "Something.....bothering you?"  
  
"Hm? What? No.." He folded his hands and frowned again.  
  
"Gil, you're making me nervous. What's up?"  
  
"Well, I made an appointment."  
  
Catherine gasped. "Oh no, Gil..your hearing?!"  
  
"No, no, no! Not my hearing, No, I'm sorry no." He reached out and covered her hands with his. Catherine let out a shaky breath she didn't know she'd been holding.  
  
"I made an appointment for Reese and Alexis." He explained. "With a psychiatrist, Dr Winston. She has had some incredibly results with patients suffering from memory loss due to a traumatic experience."  
  
"Umm...okay...you want those two girls...to see a shrink?" Catherine pursed her lips together and arched an eyebrow.  
  
"Psychiatrist, and yes."  
  
"And, you have already diagnosed them?"  
  
"I'm sorry?"  
  
"Memory loss." She sighed.  
  
"Yes, well.... She's very good, Catherine." Grissom arched an eyebrow. "So, the appointment is at 4. I have some business to take care of at the lab, so I'll meet you there." He pulled a card out off his pocket and handed it to Catherine. "It's not that far."  
  
Catherine stared at the card and watched as Grissom got up. "You're leaving?"  
  
"Yes." He replied, a little confused. "Business? At the lab. I just told you."  
  
"Of course you did." She leaned back in her chair.  
  
"I'll see you there?" He paused to look at her. "Cath.....Sara and Warrick don't have any leads...We need the girl's statements."  
  
"Great." Catherine knew he didn't understand why this would upset her. Hell, he probably didn't even know that she was upset. That angered her even more. "You really think they're up for this?"  
  
"They have to be." He turned around and headed for the door. "Bye. I'll call."  
  
"Yeah, and remember Child Services is coming over tomorrow. House call."  
  
"Right." He nodded. "I'll be there."  
  
"Ok. See ya."  
  
As soon as he closed the door behind her, she let out a loud frustrated sigh. She wasn't sure how to feel about this: angry, upset, disappointed, sad.  
  
She looked around the kitchen, shaking her head furiously.  
  
'How could he? Make an appointment behind her back. These kids were her responsibility. Theirs, actually.'  
  
Catherine stared at the two empty paper cups in front of her.  
  
She wasn't sure why this bothered her so much. Of course, it wasn't exactly fair of him, but knowing Gil Grissom he had the best intentions and wasn't aware of the fact that he had hurt her feelings. Or that maybe this wasn't the right thing for Reese and Alexis.  
  
She was just.......confused because of Gil's decision about this appointment. But instead of worrying about it she decided to clean up the stuff and tell the girls what they had to do. She'd have to talk to him about it later though.  
  
"Reese, Alexis?" Catherine called, opening the front door and looking around. "Where are you?"  
  
"Heeeeeere!" She heard Alexis call back.  
  
"Can you two come inside for a second; I have to tell you something." Catherine walked back to the kitchen and after a few minutes she saw two heads appearing around the corner of the hall way.  
  
"What is it?" Reese said, always suspicious.  
  
"Well." Catherine began "Gil has made an appointment for you girls, with a shr....I mean psychiatrist."  
  
"I don't want to go!" Alexis said with a shaky voice, her lower lip trembling.  
  
"Lexi cut that out." Reese hissed and poked her sister.  
  
"There's nothing to be worried about, you'll be fine." Catherine smiled at Alexis, who still didn't look too convinced.  
  
"What are they gonna do to us?"  
  
"Honey, she just wants to talk to you, ok? That's what she does. She's a doctor that talks to you. And then, you talk to her too. If you want."  
  
Alexis considered that for a second and then shrugged "Ok.."  
  
Catherine looked at Reese, who just stared back at her.  
  
"Yeah, whatever...you decide what's best" she shrugged. "I don't really care."  
  
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TBC ? ? ? You decide! Review and let us know  
  
Next up: G/C and the kids visit the ol' shrink ;) 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 A/N: Thanks to Anne!!!!!!!!!!! We totally dedicated this one to you, gurl ;)  
  
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"Okay guys, we're here." Grissom pulled the car over, turned around in his seat and looked at Alexis and Reese, who sat in the back of the car and looked slightly nervous.  
  
"It's alright, really, you'll be fine in there." Catherine tried to sound convincing, even though she wasn't too sure about this either.  
  
"Will there be needles and stuff?" Alexis suddenly asked.  
  
"Nope, nothing that even looks like a needle." Catherine said.  
  
"But you said it was a doctor, and why aren't we at the hospital then?" Alexis began to sound slightly panicked.  
  
"Shut up, Lex," Reese grumbled and opened the door.  
  
"I don't want to! Where are we?!"  
  
"Sisters." Reese rolled her eyes, slamming the car door.  
  
"Yeah, well, why don't we go in." Grissom cut in, as he stood next to her. "We wouldn't want to be late now would we?"  
  
"Guess not." Reese shrugged and walked to the entrance of the building.  
  
Gil was glad they left earlier than necessary because he had expected a 'situation' like this would occur.  
  
"You coming?" he called back to Catherine who was still standing near the car with a crying Alexis.  
  
"You two just go ahead, we'll be right there!" She called back, stroking Alexis's hair soothingly.  
  
Catherine turned back to Alexis who still didn't want to leave the car and was desperately clutching her seatbelt. "Believe me Lexi, there is nothing to be afraid of. And you are right, she is a doctor. Just not the kind that you see in a hospital. This is a doctor that talks to you, and you can tell her whatever you like."  
  
"No needles?"  
  
"Nope! I promise you there won't be any needles."  
  
"Are you also going to be there?"  
  
"Well, I think so, but maybe she'll also want to talk to you alone for a while."  
  
Alexis considered that for a second. "Okay....." she finally said, letting go of her seatbelt.  
  
"Good, but we better get in now, because otherwise Reese and Gil will be wondering what's been keeping us." Catherine smiled, took Alexis's hand and locked the car.  
  
"Yeah, they'll think we got lost in the parking lot," Alexis giggled. She was relieved now that she knew that there wouldn't be any needles.  
  
---- --------------------- ---------------------- ------- ----------------- ----------- -----------  
  
"Reese and Alexis Byrne, there should be an appointment at 3 if I'm correct." Gil said to the receptionist behind the impressive white desk.  
  
"Let me check that for you sir." She looked at her computer. "Ah yes, here I have it, just walk straight ahead and then the second door to your right. Dr. Winston is already expecting you."  
  
"Ok thanks," Gil nodded at the receptionist.  
  
"Hey Reese look." He pointed outside "There are Alexis and Catherine already."  
  
"Oh ok." Reese was browsing through a magazine that she found on a table in waiting room.  
  
"Ok. We're here." Catherine said when she opened the door, Alexis clinging on to her hand.  
  
"Good." Gil smiled at her. "Let's go then."  
  
As they walked along the hallway, a tall blonde woman walked around the corner.  
  
"Dr. Grissom." She smiled. "How nice to see you again."  
  
Grissom sheepishly smiled back at her, until Catherine cleared her throat.  
  
"Ah. This is my colleague Catherine Willows. Catherine, this is Laura Winston."  
  
Catherine shook hands with the woman.  
  
"And you two must be Reese and Alexis," the blonde said cheerfully, and looked at the girls. "I'm Dr. Laura Winston, but you can call me Laura. Now you just need to tell me who of you is Reese and who is Alexis and we can go to my office."  
  
"She's Alexis." Reese pointed at her younger sister. "And I am Reese."  
  
"Doctor? Can Catherine come with us?" Alexis asked shyly.  
  
Dr Winston glanced at Catherine, who nodded. "It's Laura. And of course Catherine can join us."  
  
The room they entered looked really homey; there was a big creamy white desk with a computer and a couple of big dark green chairs and a couch. Reese plopped down one the couch and looked around the room. There were a few pictures on the yellowish walls as well as two little landscape paintings.  
  
Suddenly they heard a noise coming from behind the couch that startled Alexis.  
  
"Oh look at that, I think Noodles just woke up, she's such a sleepyhead." Laura grinned at Alexis and Reese, who were both very curious. Reese was the first to speak up though.  
  
"Noodles? What kind of a stupid name is that?"  
  
"Noodles is my dog." Laura replied, ignoring the 'stupid' part. "But she's getting kind of old so she sleeps a lot during the day."  
  
Alexis suddenly cheered up. "I love dogs!"  
  
"Really? That's good, Noodles likes kids a lot. Noodles c'mere girl."  
  
An old looking dog appeared from behind the couch, yawned and stretched its body.  
  
"Hello Noodles!" Alexis said softly and stroked the dog's head.  
  
Reese let out a loud sigh. "Can we just start?" she asked no one in particular.  
  
Catherine and Grissom who were both standing in the doorway both looked at Dr. Winston.  
  
"Do you still want me to stay, Alexis?" Catherine asked the little girl, who was sitting on the floor, next to the dog.  
  
"No, I think I'll be ok," she replied cheerfully.  
  
Catherine nodded, a little disappointed.  
  
Grissom brushed his fingers against her arm and she looked at him in surprise. "They'll be fine, Cath. Let's go wait out in the hallway," he whispered.  
  
She took one last glance at the girls before closing the door behind her.  
  
------ -------------- ---------------- ------ ---------------- ------------------------  
  
"So." Dr. Winston sat down on the couch next to Reese. "Since you're the oldest, I thought I'd start with you."  
  
"Fine with me," Reese shrugged, shifting uncomfortably on the couch.  
  
"How old are you, exactly?"  
  
"Nine." She hesitated for a second. "...and a half."  
  
Dr. Winston smiled. "And your name? Or names, if you have a second?"  
  
"Reese Anne Byrne."  
  
Dr. Winston jotted down a few things then looked up from her clipboard. "So, where you born in Vegas?"  
  
Reese blinked nervously. "I'm....no."  
  
"Okay." Dr Winston nodded. "So, what were you and your little sister doing in Vegas?"  
  
Reese glanced at her younger sister, who seemed oblivious to all the questions and was still playing with the dog. "We were in a hotel."  
  
"Do you know which Hotel?"  
  
She moved her hand up and down the couch, following it with her eyes. "Gold something."  
  
"That's right, Reese. Gold Coast Hotel."  
  
Reese shrugged.  
  
"Why were you there?"  
  
Reese sighed and looked away.  
  
"Ok. I'll stop asking difficult questions." Dr. Winston smiled. "Do you remember what the room looks like?"  
  
"What room?"  
  
"The room you were staying in." Dr. Winston was reluctant to mention their parents and their murders.  
  
"Probably."  
  
"Do you think you could draw it for me?"  
  
"DRAW it?" Reese repeated, incredulously.  
  
------------- ------------------- ----------------- ----- ---------------------------------  
  
Catherine and Grissom had been sitting in the waiting-room in silence for almost 5 minutes now. She was slowly turning the pages of a fashion magazine, while glancing at Grissom every now and then. He was too busy studying his surroundings to notice.  
  
"So....." Catherine began, wanting to ask the question that had been plaguing her ever since she met the elusive doctor. "When did you meet Dr. Winston?"  
  
Grissom snapped out of his reverie. "Hm? Laura? We've worked on cases before."  
  
"Really?" Catherine shook her head. "I don't remember ever seeing her."  
  
He shrugged. "I'm not sure... is that a question?"  
  
"Just...never mind." she sighed.  
  
------------ ------------------ ---------------------  
------------------- ---------------  
  
Dr. Laura Winston looked at the drawing that Reese just handed her. Grissom had given her some pictures of the hotel room and descriptions of the crime- scene.  
  
The drawing Reese had made was more than accurate.  
  
"So, I heard that Gil found you in a closet?"  
  
Reese nodded, glancing around nervously.  
  
"Could you maybe point out which closet?"  
  
"No. I didn't draw the bedroom. I was in the bedroom. You didn't tell me to draw the bedroom."  
  
Laura smiled at her reassuringly, then considered her next question and the smile quickly faded. "Why?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why were you in a closet in the bedroom?"  
  
Alexis suddenly looked up from playing with the dog and looked at Reese anxiously. Reese glanced back at her.  
  
"I don't want to talk anymore." She decided and started to turn away.  
  
"You don't want to talk about the closet?"  
  
"It's not ABOUT the closet!" Reese was trying to calm herself down. "Just stop talking."  
  
"What were you doing in the closet?" Dr. Winston knew she hit a nerve. Reese was losing her calm.  
  
"Nothing. I...I wasn't even there!"  
  
"You were not in the closet? But that's where Grissom found you."  
  
Reese looked around the room in a panic. "STOP it! I mean it!!" Her green eyes were blazing with fire and she inched closer. "STOP that! Stop writing down lies about me."  
  
"I'm not doing anything." Dr. Winston soothed, putting down her pen.  
  
"YES you are!! You're lying......I don't want to know!"  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"STOP it or else!!"  
  
Alexis was still sitting on the floor, with watery blue eyes and a trembling bottom lip. "Reesie.."  
  
Dr. Winston glanced at the little girl sitting on the floor and smiled at her reassuringly. "It will be ok."  
  
"NO, it won't be, stop talking to me, stop talking to my little sister!" Reese hissed. It infuriated her even more that Dr. Winston was staying so calm. "STOP writing!!" She yelled, reached out, grasped the clipboard from the doctors' hands and threw it across the room. "JUST STOP IT!!"  
  
--------- ------------- ------- (at the same time, out in the hallway) ---- --------- --------------  
  
After reading the magazine about three times Catherine looked at her watch and sighed. The longer they were sitting here, the less convinced she felt that they were actually doing the right thing. "Gil?"  
  
"Yeah....?"  
  
"Why did you want them to see a shrink?"  
  
"She's not a shrink, she's a psychiatrist and I believe that this will help them."  
  
"YOU believe that." Catherine couldn't believe what she was hearing.  
  
"Yes I do. Does that bother you?" he asked, not knowing where she was heading with this.  
  
"Well, maybe it's just me, but I really thought that we were in this together...so you could've at least asked me about that shrink."  
  
"Cath, look..." he began.  
  
"No, you look!" she interrupted him. "I couldn't believe what I was hearing when you said that we were going to be there for them. I mean, that was so great. But that also means that you'll have to keep me posted about where you're dragging them off to!"  
  
"Now wait a second," he retorted, "are you saying that I have to ask your permission for every move I make that involves those two girls in there?" He pointed at the door to Dr. Winston's office.  
  
She sighed. "No I didn't mean it like that, ....Gil..I just.." Catherine hated fighting with him and it bothered her that they did that more these days. "It's just that...." She suddenly spun around. "What was that?"  
  
"What was what?" was Grissom's confused reply.  
  
"That noise, in the office...are they...yelling...?" she wanted to get up and find out what was going on in there but Grissom held her back.  
  
"No, Cath. Don't go in there, it's probably some kind of therapy...thing.."  
  
"No. No, Gil. I..don't think..so....." Catherine glanced from Grissom to the door and at that same moment it was violently thrown open and Reese stormed out, crying.  
  
Catherine jumped up as Reese ran passed her to Grissom. The girl grabbed his sleeve. "I want to go home! We're leaving! We have to go.." she whimpered.  
  
Alexis also came out of the room and was crying too. Reese kept screaming and trying to get Gil to come with her. "Reese...." he began and tried to hold her down a bit.  
  
"I want to go home!" she cried, still violently pulling at his sleeve.  
  
He looked down, utterly confused. "Are...are you done with Dr. Winston then?"  
  
"I don't care. I don't want to talk about it! Make her stop!" she sobbed.  
  
"Look." Grissom sighed, clearly uncomfortable. Scientifically speaking, this could very well be a break-through. But when he glanced down and saw the terror in the girls' eyes.....  
  
Dr. Winston walked into the hallway and shook her head at Grissom apologetically. He looked at Catherine who glanced back at him.  
  
This wasn't what he had meant to do.  
  
Why didn't everything go as planned?  
  
All he needed was a statement, an eye witness report.  
  
He looked down at Reese again, his thoughts and emotions thoroughly confusing him.  
  
Catherine recognised the pained look on his face. "Gil? ....Gil?"  
  
"Cath, I uh....have to go." He mumbled and let go of Reese who just stood there, trembling and sobbing.  
  
"What? What do you mean go?! Go where!?"  
  
"The lab....I have to go...." he said vaguely and walked away.  
  
Catherine didn't even know what to say. "The Lab? Gil? Gil!?"  
  
-------- -------------- ----------------- ------------ ----- ------------------------------  
  
TBC ?!!!!!! Let us know ! 


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

A/N: All will be revealed, and this is an insanely goofy chapter, LoL. Blame it on us having our last exams, blame our insane beta or our other insane Aussie Dallas...Blame it on the boogie or us just being mad as hell..as usual!  
  
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"Brass! Brass! Jim, wait up!"  
  
The former head of CSI and now captain of the homicide department turned around, an amused look on his face as he watched the current CSI supervisor try to catch up with him in one of the long, dark halls of the LVPD Lab.  
  
"Can't keep up with me, huh?" Brass smirked. "Why, Gil, you look a little flushed."  
  
Grissom just frowned and ignored the other man's comments. "So, what do you have?"  
  
"I'm sorry?"  
  
"What do you have for me?" Grissom repeated impatiently.  
  
Brass stopped, turned to face the man standing next to him and stared at him in confusion. "Did I _page_ you? Cause I don't remember paging you..."  
  
Gil pursed his lips together. "You didn't page me Jim."  
  
"Then why does it feel like you just came _running_ to the Lab for some evidence?"  
  
"Is there?"  
  
Brass shook his head and sighed as they resumed their walking. "As it so happens, Warrick and Sara paged me about a minute ago. Got some new leads." He held up a vanilla colored folder. "And I've got a little news of my own."  
  
------ ----- ----- ------ ---------- ----------- ------------ ---  
  
Grissom and Brass joined Sara and Warrick in the breakroom.  
  
"Hey guys. I hope you don't mind, I brought a friend," Brass said dryly as he plopped down on the couch.  
  
"Grissom. Hey!" Sara looked up from the files she'd been studying at the breakroom table.  
  
Grissom nodded at her and Warrick, who was sitting opposite Sara. "So, what do you guys have?"  
  
"Oh, nothing big, Gris." Warrick answered. "Greg ran us some DNA samples and we confirmed what Alexis told Catherine. The Byrnes aren't their parents."  
  
"Which brings me to this." Jim slowly got of the couch. "Alexis and Reese Byrne don't exist. There is nothing on them...not even birth-certificates. The Byrnes however, I'm still trying to locate."  
  
Grissom slowly nodded as he took in the new information. "So..?" He looked around the room expectantly.  
  
"So ..." Warrick sighed. "We try and find out who these girls really are."  
  
"Well.... has anyone tried _asking_ them?"  
  
Everyone in the room turned to glare at Brass. "Ok, ok." He held up his hands in mock-defence.  
  
"We have, Jim. We even instructed Lindsey to ask them where they're from. ...Anything. But, we got nothing, I'm afraid." Grissom took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly.  
  
To be honest, the more he wanted to ignore the feeling of guilt about how things escalated at Dr. Winston's, the less focussed he became. It was wearing him out. After all, this whole psychiatrist experiment had been his idea. And Catherine had been against it. And then, _he_ ran.  
  
Grissom cleared his throat, trying to shake off the uncomfortable, nagging feeling. "So, what's your next step?"  
  
Warrick looked at Sara, who gazed at the files in front of her. "Well..."she began. "We use the DNA samples of the kids, run them through CODIS?"  
  
"And do the same with the Byrnes." Warrick nodded.  
  
"Yeah, I'll look up what I can about the Byrnes." Brass said.  
  
"Ok" Grissom nodded. "I'll go pay Greg a visit, ask him to run the DNA of the kids and the Byrnes through CODIS."  
  
Sara picked up the files. "I'll try and found out who these kids really are."  
  
"And, since we've got two cases now.....I'll ask Nick for some help on the Byrnes's case." Warrick sighed.  
  
--------- ----------------------- ---------------------- ------------------- ----- ----------------- --------------  
  
"Greg?"  
  
The lab tech jumped up and quickly straightened his light blue lab coat. "Yesss?"  
  
Grissom approached him, a typical frown on his face. "Were you....sleeping?"  
  
Greg shook his head frantically. "No! I was just watching the Gas chromatograph...waiting for results...You know Ecklie....has me working 24-7 and...then the new case....I was... "He cleared his throat, knowing his rambling wasn't helping. "So, what brings you here? Shouldn't you be with the wife and the kids?"  
  
"The what?" Grissom narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Just a little joke there..." Greg began to mutter, grimacing.  
  
Grissom ignored his nervous smiles and simply said, "I need you to run a few DNA samples. The Byrnes. And then Alexis and Reese."  
  
Greg nodded and turned in his seat. "Alright. I can do that. So..um.. I heard you guys don't have a lot to go on, huh?"  
  
Grissom shook his head. "Afraid not. So Greg, if you get a hit, let me know ASAP. I'll be at the Lab all night."  
  
"Ok. I'll see what I can do!" Greg called after Grissom as the supervisor walked away. "I'll page you!"  
  
There was no response from the retreating figure.  
  
"Right away!"  
  
Again, no response.  
  
"Byee?"  
  
---------------------- --------------- -------------------- ------ ------------------------  
  
Sara stared at her computer-screen. She was looking at all the files there were about missing children. The cases that never got solved. So far, no luck. Reese and Alexis started to look like ghosts. It was as if they had just appeared out of thin air. And since Alexis was 6 years old - she looked into every missing person' report from 1998 - 2004.  
  
She sighed. It was unbelievable how many children were missing and never got found. Scrolling through files she tried to stay focused, trying to blink away her tiredness.  
  
Suddenly, a description appeared on her screen that caught her attention. But there was also something odd about it. The description matched Reese and Alexis, age made sense, but the names didn't. "Avery and Romaine...Fortier?" Sara said surprised. "That would explain a lot." she mumbled.  
  
Meanwhile, Greg, who had decided to take a short break while CODIS was working its magic, walked around the corner and saw her sitting behind the computer.  
  
"Hey Sara," He smirked as he casually leaned against the doorpost. "It's true, ya know"  
  
"What is it, Greg." she replied, a bit annoyed that someone had interrupted her.  
  
"Well...." He began, kind of smug "Sitting this long behind a computer causes people to start talking to themselves."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"I'll show you." He took a deep breath then mimicked Sara in a high-pitched voice; "'That would explain a lot'."  
  
"GREG, will you please let me do my job? Yes? Thank you!" She was not in the mood for his jokes and redirected all of her attention back to the screen in front of her.  
  
Greg grinned. "Why, of course." He shook his head smiling and started to walk away.  
  
"And I don't even TALK like that!" Sara suddenly called after him, much to his amusement.  
  
---------------------- --------------- -------------------- ------ ------------------------  
  
"This case just keeps getting bigger by the second." Nick sighed as he turned over some files. "It's like.... a virus. First, we had the Byrnes-case to be concerned about, then the fact that their kids could be eyewitnesses so we had to focus on them. Now, we have NO idea where those kids came from because they're not even related. Not to mention that we don't have anything on the Byrnes. But 'YAY' at least we've got hundreds of crime- scene photos." He finished sarcastically.  
  
"I hear ya." Warrick nodded and walked around the table that was covered with crime-scene photos and typed up statements. "The paperwork alone is enough to keep you busy for 2 weeks."  
  
"I wasn't exactly planning on doing that." Nick grumbled as he picked up two photos.  
  
"Same here, man." He sat down next to Nick and looked at the two photos the Texan was holding up. "Sara and I dusted that whole hotel-room. Every single gold angel, gold lamp, the doorknobs, the phones, the doors, the windows ....just everything. I mean it, we found 13 sets of different fingerprints."  
  
Nick nodded sympathetically.  
  
"Of course, they could all be matched to the maids, the Byrnes, the kids and the two couples who used the room before the Byrnes."  
  
"So, whoever is responsible for the Byrnes murders came in wearing gloves or the Byrnes opened the door themselves." Nick stated as he lay down the photos and picked up a couple of shots of the Golden Coast Hotel and the hotel-room itself.  
  
"Yeah. And we still know nothing about the Byrnes."  
  
"Whoever killed the Byrnes....., they either didn't know there were any girls to begin with or they did, but never intended to harm them. Or....they didn't see them....."  
  
Warrick sighed and looked up. "So, that narrows our list of suspects down to a complete stranger with no knowledge of the Byrnes' life. Our second option is someone capable of feeling some compassion......."  
  
"And our last..." Nick added. "...Just a _blind fool_."  
  
---------------------- --------------- -------------------- ------ ------------------------  
  
Gil sat in his office and had to stop himself from calling Catherine, to tell her about the new information on their case....which was technically still their case.  
  
The more he thought about it, the worse he felt about letting everyone down when they took the girls to see the psychiatrist. He shouldn't have run off like that. He isn't a man who runs away from his responsibilities.  
  
He sighed. Cath...... They had been through so much together. Why couldn't they just work things out with this case?  
  
He had the feeling he was headed for something he'd always carefully avoided. All those times he told Catherine and everybody else that they should never become emotionally involved in their cases. And he came close to crossing that thin line between objectivity and subjectivity ..... closer than he wanted to.  
  
"Grissom? Hey Griss?? I can tell you why Alexis and Reese don't exist on paper!" Sara entered his office, excitedly waving around a piece of paper. "Grissom?"  
  
His head snapped up. "Oh good, that's good, Sara. ...So...what do you have on them?" he looked up at her, trying his most professional and intrigued look. He didn't want Sara to suspect anything was up, he didn't what to show her how bad he felt. Because, whatever was going on between him and Catherine, it should stay between them. Of course, the other members of the team had asked him how Cath and the girls were doing, but he had carefully and skilfully avoided their questions and any mention of the visit to the psychiatrist.  
  
"Well," Sara began. "Remember four years ago?" she looked at him expectantly.  
  
"Yes of course I remember the year 2000, the millennium.... lots of fuss about it, was kinda hard to miss and all but what's that got to do with our case?" He sighed, taking off his glasses.  
  
Sara didn't seem to notice his sarcasm, and eagerly began explaining the rest of her findings. "There was a big case in Florida, someone tried to kidnap the daughters of a big realtor. The Fortier case...ring any bells?  
  
"Fortier?" Grissom narrowed his eyes and titled his head slightly, dangling his glasses in his right hand. "Yeah. Yeah, I remember that one, high profile case in Orlando. Parents were found dead, their two young daughters were missing. And since they didn't have any other family known the police stopped active searching after 6 months." He leaned back in his chair and waited for Sara's response.  
  
"Exactly!" she had a smug grin on her face. "Now don't these two sound familiar to you?" she pushed the piece of paper over his desk towards him. "Grissom, everything makes sense. Age, looks, and why the Byrnes are not their parents."  
  
Grissom leaned over his desk so and his eyes widened in realization as he observed the information. The descriptions, especially of the oldest daughter, matched with Reese and Alexis. After a few moments of silence, he suddenly jumped up, grabbed the file with the photos and practically ran past Sara on his way out.  
  
"Ok. Did he just hear anything I said?" she said to no one in particular before slowly turning around and walking out of his office.  
  
-------- ------------ -------------------- --------------- -- ---------------- --------------------  
  
"Gentlemen!!"  
  
Nick's head snapped up to see an amused Brass standing in the doorway.  
  
"There's only one gentle man in here, Brass" Nick smiled. "Warrick is checking to see if Greg found anything on the Byrnes."  
  
"Ah." Still looking very pleased with himself, Brass walked around the table, Nick's eyes following his every move.  
  
Finally, Brass came to a stop and looked at Nick expectantly. The latter was confused, to say the least. "Uh, what?"  
  
"Well....?"  
  
"Again: what?"  
  
"Aren't you going to ask me _why_ I stopped by?"  
  
Nick sighed, rubbed his face tiredly and muttered. "You've been hanging around Greg lately haven't you? Please, stop performing this little play of yours and tell me...or I'll have Grissom come over here and recite Hamlet to you!"  
  
"Ok. It's about the Byrnes." The older man held up two files. "We got them."  
  
"Maria Byrne, 31 years old, from Miami." Nick read out loud. "Peter Byrne, 38 years old also from Miami and-"  
  
"-a convicted sex-offender. Came up on CODIS. " Warrick finished as he walked in. Both Nick and Brass looked up. "Did time, 5 years. From his...24th till his 29th. Nothing on the wife though."  
  
"Same here." Nick nodded, looking at the two files in his hands. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the photos, then at the morgue-pictures. "Well, DNA and photos confirm it. It's definitely them."  
  
"So now?" Brass asked no-one in particular.  
  
"We contact Miami." Warrick answered. "I still got a few contacts down there."  
  
---------------------------- ------------------------------ ---- ----------------------------  
  
"I thought I'd find you here."  
  
Grissom and Archie barely acknowledged Sara's presence as she walked into the AV-Lab. Grissom's eyes were glued to the computer-screen in front of him, while Archie seemed to be rummaging through a box with some tapes in it.  
  
Letting out a soft, annoyed sigh, Sara peeked over Grissom's shoulder to find out what he was looking at. "The Orlando papers... May 2000."  
  
Grissom nodded. "I'm trying to find some good, clear pictures of the Fortier girls, but just get these vague black and whites ones. How are you doing there Archie?"  
  
When they got no response, but Sara and Grissom glanced at Archie who was now shoulder deep in one the boxes he had pulled out earlier. "Hold on, think I've got them." He glanced at the tapes he pulled out and nodded. "These are the ones, I think. News reports from the exact month the Fortier girls disappeared."  
  
Grissom nodded. "Let's roll."  
  
Sara hit the lights and Archie rolled the tape. The three sat down in front of the big screen, hoping to catch their first break in this case.  
  
After a few other news-items on the NBC news, they got what they had been looking for; 'Now over to our reporter Melinda Carton, who is reporting live from Orlando. Melinda?'  
  
'Yes, John. Orlando native and realtor Michael Fortier and his wife Susanna were both found shot to death in their million-dollar home in Orlando. The police released a statement just 30 minutes ago that there is _no_ trace of their two young daughters 5 year old Romaine and 2 year old Avery Fortier.'  
  
Two pictures flashed across screen and Archie was just on time to hit the pause button. Sara narrowed her eyes while Grissom's blue ones widened. "It's _them_." He breathed. He'd recognize Reese's defiant green eyes and Alexis toothy smile from miles away. "It's really them."  
  
Archie pushed play again, and the three watched a home-video of the two Fortier girls playing happily in the impressive garden behind the enormous villa. Grissom had never seen Reese... so carefree and happy.  
  
"I have to go...I _have_ to alert..." Grissom got up from his stool.  
  
"The authorities? The Sheriff?" Sara asked hopefully, but Grissom was already out the door.  
  
Sara glanced at Archie, who shrugged in response.  
  
"Right. ...Catherine..." she muttered softly.  
  
---------- ---------------- ----------------- ---------------- ------------- ------  
  
TBC???

We PROMISE the next chapter will be nothing but G/C, if you guys review! Honestly.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**  
  
**A/N: Well, we promised y'all G/C and G/C is what you're getting! Wooohoooo You can all thank Hell for the fluff and Mad for the drama ;)**

It felt like his car couldn't go fast enough. Secretly he cursed the weather, because it was raining very hard and it looked like there was a thunderstorm coming up. He just had to tell Catherine the news about the Fortier case. When he pulled up on her driveway he just barely missed Lindsey's bike and had to manoeuvre his way around other toys until he came to an abrupt halt. He violently pulled out his keys, locked the door behind him and sped his way over to her door.  
  
"Catherine?" He knocked on the door impatiently. "Cath? Catherine?" Luckily, he didn't have to wait long; slowly the door was opened, revealing a sleepy Catherine, wearing a bright pink robe.  
  
"What is it Grissom?" she asked softly.  
  
Uh-oh. He had been so eager to tell his story, he had completely forgotten that he worked nightshift. And that Catherine didn't.  
  
"I woke you? I'm sorry, I am. But I have the greatest news!"  
  
Catherine shook her head slowly and allowed him to come in.  
  
"Are the kids asleep?" Of course, he knew they were, after all, it was 4 am, but somehow he felt like he had to start with small talk.  
  
"Yeah, they are. Reese hasn't said a word to me since..." She didn't finish her sentence, but just plopped down on the couch.  
  
Grissom couldn't control himself any longer. "We found out who the girls are."  
  
"What?"  
  
He joined her on the couch. "Does the name 'Fortier' ring a bell?"  
  
"Gil, it's 4 am in the morning, I'm _not_ in the mood for riddles."  
  
"Four years ago, two little girls disappeared in Orlando, Florida. Their parents were found dead. Everybody assumed the girls were dead as well."  
  
Catherine sat up. "Reese and Alexis?"  
  
"Yes! Sara found out their real names. Avery and Romaine Fortier. Could be that the Byrnes were behind the murders of their real parents."  
  
"Wow. This is...big. I mean, and...those poor kids."  
  
Grissom nodded eagerly. "I just wanted to let you know, in person." He glanced at his watch. "But I have to get back. Looks like we've got two cases now." He got up from the couch.  
  
"What?!"  
  
Grissom looked genuinely surprised as Catherine stood in front of him, hands on her hips. "I'm sorry?"  
  
"Gil, you just can't...what are you!" Seeing the innocent look on his face, she caved. "...Just... Forget it." She waved it off.  
  
"No, is there something wrong?"  
  
"Wrong? Gil, did you completely block out what happened today?"  
  
Gil's face betrayed no emotion. "Yes, well no...I mean, Reese got upset."  
  
"And you ran out on us."  
  
Grissom cleared his throat. "And I am sorry for that. The Lab.... -."  
  
"And Child Services came by this evening."  
  
Grissom's eyes widened. "This evening?"  
  
"Yes, Gil. I reminded you of that more than once."  
  
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I forgot."  
  
"I called your cell three times."  
  
"I'm sorry, I was too caught up..." He really hadn't checked his phone, because he'd been so wrapped up in the case's new developments.  
  
"But don't you worry! I covered for you. Told Lancetti, who came by personally, that you were at the Lab. I don't think I made a very good impression. Alexis has been crying all day and Reese won't even come downstairs."  
  
"I honestly, Catherine...I forgot."  
  
Catherine sighed and shook her head sadly. "Look, I know you're not the family man, and you didn't exactly ask for this...situation...so.... I understand if you have to leave or whatever."  
  
"And disappoint you?" He said softly.  
  
"If you're worried about me getting disappointed, ...don't. I don't expect things from people anymore." She shook her head again, turned around and walked into the kitchen, deciding that the conversation was over. "Just go, Gil."  
  
He hesitated for a moment, but eventually followed. It scared him that Catherine was so calm. He wanted her to maybe...yell, scream and after that, everything would be just fine between them again. Like always. But now it looked to him like she had given up on him. On them.  
  
She was standing in the kitchen, bent over the sink so she could do the dishes. Now he could tell just how angry Catherine was. She was obviously trying very hard not to blow up, because she was violently throwing plastic cups into the warm water and ignoring his presence. Plus, nobody does the dishes at 4 am in the morning.  
  
Grissom stared at her, desperately wanting to resolve this, but she still was averting her eyes.  
  
"...Like my marriage all over again." she muttered under her breath.  
  
His head snapped up and his eyes widened. "What?"  
  
"I said that this whole mess is beginning to look a lot like my marriage!"  
  
In an attempt to calm or soothe her, he reached out, but she immediately shrugged of his touch, eyes blazing with fire.  
  
"But...I'm nothing like Eddie, Cath...." He said calmly.  
  
"I know that you're not Eddie, Gil," she spat. "And this isn't about him or me! This is about you!"  
  
"Exactly what have I done wrong?"He sighed. "It was never my intention...God, Cath, you're not making this very easy on me."  
  
"Making WHAT easy?! You obviously don't want to deal with these kids so I'm giving you the opportunity to 'get out'."  
  
He stared at her with a blank look on his face, knowing what she meant. She thought he was just going to walk out and never look back, like Eddie did. "It's not that. It's -"  
  
She put up a hand. "Just, don't. Trust me, I know how this goes."  
  
"How long have we known each other?" He asked as she turned away from him, and focussed on the dishes again. "Why don't you trust me, Catherine? I was...confused today. But, you know I wouldn't just really...walk away." He took a few steps back and leaned against the island in the middle of the kitchen.  
  
She huffed, her back still turned to him. "Oh, do I? Last time I checked I was here with three kids and you were...off somewhere...keeping your distance!"  
  
Outside thunder roared through the sky.  
  
This whole situation did remind her of Eddie. She'd always been able to trust Gil, with anything, but lately he had been so distant...He had left her standing there with two upset girls at the shrink he had suggested they'd visit. And then, when Child Services paid a visit...It felt like she was being left out in the cold. Again. By the person she needed and trusted the most.  
  
"You're being...somewhat unreasonable, Catherine. I am not Eddie." He was trying very hard to control his anger, because he didn't feel like he deserved to be compared to Eddie. Yes, he walked away and yes, he missed the appointment, but he hadn't hurt Catherine, had he? This all hadn't been intentional. He was nothing like Eddie. "I haven't done anything to you. I honestly forgot...It wasn't intentional...I'd never hurt you."  
  
"You don't have to psychically abuse me to hurt me!" Catherine spat, fighting the tears that were threatening to spill. He didn't understand that his cold approach was hurting her more than Eddie ever did.  
  
"WHAT?!" Grissom almost roared, jumping up. "I can take a lot, but you comparing me to Eddie and his violence?!! I am nothing like him. I will never resort to psychical or mental abuse! I do NOT run away from my responsibilities! I...- "He stopped when he saw Catherine's trembling shoulders.  
  
"Catherine?" He warily approached her. "Cath?"  
  
Catherine didn't turn around to acknowledge him but was still leaning over the sink, her strawberry blond curls covering her face.  
  
"Cath, please, I-"He put his hands on her shoulders and heard her sniffle. "I never meant to...please? I..."  
  
Catherine slowly turned around, stubbornly wiping away the tears. "Gil...I know you're not like Eddie..." She whispered, as her voice broke.  
  
"Good." He smiled and pulled her to him. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."  
  
"Me too." She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.  
  
After a couple of minutes of comfortable silence, it was Grissom who spoke up.  
  
"Cath?"  
  
All he could hear was muffled reply.  
  
"Cath?"  
  
She looked up with watery eyes. "Yeah...?"  
  
"Did you ever see that movie Notting Hill?"  
  
Catherine sniffled, gave him a very surprised look while wondering where the hell he was going with this. " What? I...um...yeah...I think so...wasn't that the one with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts?"  
  
"Yeah that's the one." he nodded.  
  
"Whoa, hold it!" she interrupted him, momentarily forgetting her emotional outburst from a few minutes ago. "You saw Notting hill?"  
  
"Yes, I did." Grissom smiled his boyish half-smile at the confused, sniffling redhead in his arms.  
  
"Ok, it just didn't seem like a movie for you, but um.... do continue." she said.  
  
"Remember that part during the press conference, where he's trying to say to her that he wants her back? That he admits that he's been a..." Grissom paused. "Daft prick," he added in his best British accent.  
  
Catherine couldn't help but laugh at that. "Ok..." she said, wiping away some stray tears with the back of her hand. "So what exactly is the point of this story?"  
  
"Well..." He began "...that's kind of the same thing I want to tell you, actually." he said shyly.  
  
Catherine didn't really know what to say and just looked up at him.  
  
"So I hope you accept my apologies and that it will no longer affect our..." Grissom paused again, "friendship," he added quickly.  
  
She smiled at him, and he sighed in relief that she took his lousy attempt at an apology so well.  
  
"Look, I've been kind of stupid too; I know that you're not like...everybody else. And comparing you to Eddie...was a low blow. It's just that...I was disappointed and I felt...alone." Catherine admitted.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere, Cath. I promise you this. Today was just one big mistake on my part. I just don't deal with certain situations as well as I should. But I do consider you my best friend. And I'm sorry...?"  
  
She smiled. "Well, I think I owe you an apology too."  
  
"So...are we good?" He looked down at her.  
  
"We're good." She nodded, smiling.  
  
"So uhm...would you like a drink or something? No wait, you had to get back to the lab"  
  
"The lab can wait," he said, reluctantly letting go of her.  
  
She grinned at that. "Ok, you want coffee? I bought a new machine the other day"  
  
"Sure, let's see if this one can make better coffee than the old one." He sat down on the couch.  
  
A few minutes later, after Catherine had fixed coffee, they were both comfortably sitting next to each other on the couch. The rain was still pouring from the sky and it didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon.  
  
"Geez, is it ever going to stop raining tonight?" Catherine looked out the window.  
  
"I don't know" Gil shrugged. "I'll wait to go back till it's gone a bit"  
  
"That's alright, take your time" she replied, and hoped that it wouldn't stop raining for a while.  
  
"So other than today's escapade...they are doing better right?" he looked at her.  
  
"Yeah, especially Alexis, I mean Avery...seemed to open up quite well. And Ree...uh...Romaine..."  
  
He looked at her when she was telling about the two children that had recently walked into their lives. He could see she really cared about them, and sitting here on this couch made him realized how much he'd missed her these past couple of days. His mind drifted off and kept on looking at the beautiful woman sitting next to him.  
  
"Hey Cath," he interrupted her. "Got new earrings?"  
  
"Huh? Uh...yeah...I do, why?"  
  
"They look really good on you." He reached out and wiped the hair from her face. She leant in to his touch and smiled at him. "Thanks"  
  
They had been moving closer and closer together for the past few moments.  
  
"Cath, I think you are doing a really great job with those two girls. I know it's not easy and I didn't quite live up to my end of the bargain lately but I just want you know that I don't think that anyone could've done this any better than you have," he said, holding and softly stroking her hand.  
  
She smiled and gently squeezed his hand. "Thanks, but it was you that actually convinced me to take them here, remember? You reminded me, never doubt never look back...I'm still glad you did that, you know."  
  
In the meantime, it was still raining and a very loud thunder startled Catherine and made her sink into Gil's embrace. "Whoa...that one was...close..." she said.  
  
"Yeah it was," Gil said, and instinctively pulled her closer.  
  
They sat like this for a moment, when Catherine suddenly looked up at him. "Gil?"  
  
"Hm-hm?" was the dreamily reply.  
  
"Is it still raining?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"Good," she said and rested her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Catherine?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I um..."  
  
She looked up at him. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Well...nothing actually...just that...I..."  
  
Catherine looked at him, and wondered what he wanted to say. "If nothing is wrong, then just say it."  
  
Grissom grinned. "Alright then, have it your way" He winked. "I was just wondering what was going on with us...sitting...being...like we are...now."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well...I know we've been very good friends from the start, but we've never been in a situation like this, sitting like this...me holding you...and it just hit me that I'm enjoying this more than I thought I would," he said.  
  
Catherine smiled at this revelation. "Well...Gil...if you're curious...then why don't you find out?" She slowly leaned in closer to him. "Cause...that's our job isn't it? To find out...to investigate things...?"  
  
"That's true..." he could feel her breath on his lips, and again moved a bit closer again. He stroked her cheek and his lips grazed hers.  
  
She smiled nervously at this touch, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, lightly.  
  
"This just keeps getting better and better." he whispered and kissed her back.  
  
"I couldn't agree mo-" she wanted to say but was stopped when Gil kissed her deeply.  
  
"Mommy!" they suddenly heard coming from upstairs and caused them to break apart.  
  
Catherine sighed. "Don't you just love Lindsey's timing?"  
  
"Well, I agree that it's been better, but you better go check on her, I have to go anyway. The rain stopped and they'll be probably wondering what's keeping me" he kissed her again and got up from the couch.  
  
"I know, you better go then."  
  
"Mommy!!"  
  
"On my way Lindsey!"  
  
"Go see what's the matter with her, I know my way out." He kissed her lightly on the lips.  
  
"Ok, see you soon then...I hope.." she smiled.  
  
"You bet it'll be soon." He winked at her.  
  
After she saw get into his car and head for the lab she went upstairs and opened the door to where Lindsey was sleeping. "What's wrong honey?"  
  
"_Who_ was that downstairs? It sounded like Uncle Gil. _Why_ was he here?"  
  
"Yes, he was here; he just had to...um...tell me some things about the case but nothing bad."  
  
"Then _why _didn't I hear you talk for so long?" Lindsey asked  
  
It was a good thing it was dark because Catherine could feel that she was blushing. "We watched TV for a little while"  
  
"But I didn't _hear_ the TV."  
  
"We had the volume down so we wouldn't wake you and Alexis and Reese" There was no need in telling Lindsey the truth about Alexis and Reese yet, Catherine wisely decided. It would just complicate matters.  
  
"Oh..." Lindsey didn't seem too convinced, but was too tired to argue.  
  
"Why don't you go back to sleep and then I'll be right up back." Her mother whispered.  
  
"Ok..." Lindsey yawned and closed her eyes again.  
  
Catherine decided to leave the coffee cups for what they were and clean them up in the morning. She also got back to bed and dreamed happy dreams, very happy.  
  
-- - - ------------- ----------------- ------ ------------- ------------------ ----------  
  
**TBC ?!!!** -- You let us know! 


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**A/N**: **Thanks to Gomes for the incredibly fast beta! You guys will have to wait a looooong time for chapter 10 – cause Mad AND Hell will be gone for a while (holiday, celebrate!)**  
  
When Gil drove back to the lab he couldn't get Catherine off his mind. Not that she ever was _not_ on his mind, but this time it was different.  
  
He opened the door to the lab and headed straight for his office. He had to fight the urge to run back to his car and race back to Catherine, even though he knew he had no choice.  
  
The last thing he wanted was to blur his mind with work related stuff and with that forcing to push aside the precious memory of that short but yet so beautiful moment with Catherine.  
  
He was browsing through some files when Warrick walked past his office and noticed him sitting there.  
  
"Hey when did you get back? I thought you went out to tell Catherine about what we found."  
  
"I did and I got back some time ago." Grissom closed the file.  
  
"Oh...and?"  
  
"And what?"  
  
"Well, you've been gone for over 1,5 hours. I mean, what did you say? Informed her of the entire case again? She knew most of it already." Warrick casually leaned against the doorframe.  
  
"Well, we had some... unfinished business to talk about so that took some time too."  
  
"Oh, the shrink thing?" Warrick inquired. "Yeah. Catherine told me about that."  
  
"Uh...yes, that was it." Gil answered quickly. He then looked up in surprise. "Hold on, you know about what happened there?"  
  
Warrick shrugged apologetically. "Cath might have mentioned it...don't know the whole story."  
  
"I think 'the whole story' is something that's between me and Catherine." Grissom snapped suddenly, growing more and more annoyed by Warrick's questioning. He didn't want his behaviour at the shrink's office to become 'public knowledge', so to speak.  
  
"Yeah, well,....I think I hear Nick calling, gotta run!" After glancing at his irritated supervisor one last time, Warrick spun around and left the office.  
  
--- ------------ ------------------- -------------- - -------------- -------------- -  
  
When morning came, Lindsey was already awake and so were Reese and Alexis. The little girl had no idea about the double identity of her newfound friends.  
  
"Hey?" She whispered and opened the door to her own bedroom, where the other two girls slept. "You guys awake? I gotta tell you something realllly weird!"  
  
Alexis and Reese both looked up. Reese narrowed her eyes, deciding whether she wanted to know, or not. Eventually, curiosity got the best of her. "Okay, what's so weird then?" she asked.  
  
"Well..." Lindsey began with a mysterious look on her face. She sat down on one of the beds. "I woke up last night because I heard my mom downstairs talking to someone, and it sounded a lot like uncle Grissom. I'm pretty sure it was him.."  
  
"Why do you call him your uncle? He's not your _real _uncle is he?" Alexis suddenly interrupted her.  
  
"Um...I don't know, I've always called him that." Lindsey shrugged. "But anyway, so I heard them talk and talk and talk, and suddenly they stopped talking."  
  
"Yeah? So?" Reese didn't see the point in the Lindsey's story. "What's the big deal?"  
  
"Because I thought he'd left but I didn't hear him leave and mom said they had been watching TV but I didn't _hear_ the TV."  
  
"Maybe they were watching TV, really quietly." Alexis suggested.  
  
"Mom doesn't watch TV in the middle of the night."  
  
"Well, maybe last night she did?" Alexis shrugged.  
  
"_Why _would she?"  
  
"How should we know? And who cares, anyway!" Reese looked away and turned around in her bed.  
  
Lindsey stared at them for a few seconds. "Are you still mad at my mom for taking you to see that doctor?" Her question startled both girls.  
  
"I'm not ma-"Alexis began but was cut off by Reese.  
  
"Shut up Lex!" Reese glared at her younger sister. "And no, I'm not mad, I just don't want to listen to your stupid stories anymore!" She was now glaring at Lindsey. "Just leave me alone! I wanna sleep." Reese pulled the covers over her head and didn't respond anymore.  
  
Lindsey sighed. "Ok....Well.....I'm going downstairs, you wanna come?" She looked Alexis and the little girl nodded eagerly.  
  
Alexis knew her sister and at moments like this it was best to leave her alone for a while. "Linds? Can I ask you something?" Alexis said shyly as they walked through the hallway.  
  
"Of course! You can ask me anything."  
  
"Were your mom and Mr. Grissom talking about Reese and me last night?" Alexis sat down on the couch and Lindsey followed.  
  
"I don't know, I could hear them talk but I couldn't hear about what" Lindsey stared out the window.  
  
"Oh..ok" Alexis sounded somewhat disappointed.  
  
"Why? What's wrong?"  
  
"Well...nothing...just that..." Alexis hesitated "That Reese is acting all weird since yesterday and being mean to everyone and I don't know how to make it better. I don't know what to do." She folded her arms and stared at the floor.  
  
"I think my mom will help you, with Uncle Grissom, they are the best." Lindsey said proudly, after giving it some thought.  
  
Alexis gave a small smile. "I really hope so."  
  
When Catherine came down a few minutes later, Lindsey and Alexis were still sitting on the couch and now watching TV. "Hey!" She said cheerfully. "You guys are up already, where is Reese?"  
  
"Reese...um...wanted to sleep, so we let her." Lindsey said quickly., glancing at Alexis.  
  
"I'll go see if she's awake! Be right back." Alexis slid off the couch and went upstairs.  
  
"Mommy?"  
  
"Yes Linds?"  
  
Lindsey sighed. "I don't understand.....Why is Reese acting so weird? She said she wasn't mad at you about what happened with that doctor...but still.."  
  
"Reese said that to you?" Catherine asked, surprised.  
  
"Uh...yeah...is that so weird?"  
  
"Well, no...no it's not weird, it's good. I better go check on her then" Catherine turned around.  
  
"Whatever..." Lindsey didn't see why everyone was acting so strange.  
  
-- ---------- ---------------- ------------- ------------- ---------  
  
"Reese? You alright?" Catherine opened the door and saw Alexis sitting next to her sister, who had the blankets pulled over her.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"You sure about that?" Catherine asked her, in a cheerful voice, ignoring the cold response.  
  
"You sure you want to know?" Reese made no point of hiding her anger, even though she was still hiding underneath the covers of her bed.  
  
"I'm pretty sure, yeah." Catherine sat down at the end of the bed.  
  
"GO away..."  
  
"Not until you tell me what's wrong." She could guess what was wrong, but wanted to hear it from Reese. Alexis shot Catherine a panicked look.  
  
"Everything is wrong." If possible, Reese buried herself even deeper under the covers.  
  
"Lexi." Catherine whispered, as she leant in. "Go down and tell Linds to make you guys some breakfast."  
  
Alexis hesitated, looked down at her sister and then sighed. "Ok."  
  
Catherine watched as Alexis quietly left the room and closed the door behind her.  
  
"Reese...please...." Catherine began. "I know something went wrong yesterday and I know now why...I know what you two have been through..."  
  
Suddenly, the covers were kicked off and Reese's reappeared. "You don't know anything!!! She made me remember, I don't want to know!!! I told you, I told you. You don't know!"  
  
Catherine reached out and put her hands on the girl's shoulders to stop her from shaking. " I know who you are Romaine." she whispered. "I know."  
  
-- ---- ------- ------------ ------------- ------ -------- --------- ------- -------

**At the LVPD CrimeLab**  
  
"So, tell us about the Byrnes."  
  
Reese leaned forward, gazing past Brass and Catherine, as if she was talking to someone standing behind them.  
  
"They paid money for us. That's what Peter said 'I paid good money for you two'."  
  
Brass frowned. "Who...did they buy you from?"  
  
Reese exhaled slowly. "Our nanny, Nina, she told us to get in a black van. I did, but Alexis wouldn't come with us. Then, I saw two men, they were in the frontseats and dressed in black. Nina knew them. She said ' I'll get the kid, you just make sure this one sits tight.' So she went after Alexis and I asked the two men 'what's happening?' but they wouldn't say."  
  
She narrowed her eyes a bit. "I kept asking them, but they wouldn't answer my questions. Then, mom and dad's car came up the driveway and everyone all panicked. They were shouting and I could hear dad's voice and my mom was yelling at Nina 'what are you doing?!'."  
  
She paused. "The van hadn't left yet, we were still in the driveway. And I heard ...explosions. Like 10 of them. One of the men had gotten out earlier and when he got back in he was bleeding. Then, we drove away."  
  
"So you-" Brass began.  
  
"They wanted to ask ransom. That's why they took us. Because our parents have money. Then, they said everything had gone wrong and they'd have to get rid off us. Marian told us that they were going to sell us for money. Killing us meant no profit at all, or something like that. And we could never tell anyone what happened."  
  
"And they sold you to the Byrnes?"  
  
"Yes.."Her eyes widened a bit. "Maria really wanted children and in the beginning, they were nice. Then after awhile, Peter wanted us to bring packages to their friends. They said they were presents. But, I know that wasn't true.."  
  
"What do _you_ think it was?"  
  
"Powder. I asked one of Peter's friends once what the powder did and he blew it in my face. Nothing happened though, it just smelled funny."  
  
Catherine glanced at Brass who nodded. "So, the Byrnes, they were nice to you?"  
  
"Maria was...." Reese frowned slightly, "nice. She taught us things, gave me books. Peter wasn't around much. He was always with his friends. Maria wasn't a mother though."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"She wanted to have children of her own. But she couldn't. And Peter said that they needed us. To give away the presents. Said she got her wish and he'd get his."  
  
"Did you see what happened in the hotel-room?"  
  
"Yes." Reese blinked. "I can tell you now. Um...Maria was with Alexis in the bathroom. Peter said that I had to clean up their bedroom and stay there, because his friends were coming over. Their bedroom was a mess."  
  
"Did you know his friends?"  
  
"Yes." Reese nodded, but continued before Brass could ask their names. "Maria came out of the bathroom, I could hear Alexis singing in the tub. Peter yelled "shut up!" and then .... "  
  
Catherine smiled at her reassuringly.  
  
"I heard an explosion. A _very_ loud bang. And then Maria screamed, and there was another explosion. Gunshots, because you told me they were shot. .. and I heard voices and footsteps too. So, I hid in the closet. I was scared. I thought they were going to find Alexis, but they didn't."  
  
"You were very brave." Catherine assured her, tears welling up in her eyes as she heard Reese's emotionless account of what happened. This 9 year old little girl seemed more grown-up then most of the adults she knew.  
  
Reese crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I stayed in the closet. I was_ scared_. Not brave."  
  
"Reese?" Brass tried to get her attention again. "Where did you live?"  
  
"You can call me Romaine now. And I'm from Orlando, Miami." the girl said, unblinking. "Peter promised us, if I turned 10, I'd be old enough to go back home and take Alexis with me. That we wouldn't have to bring around presents anymore. Then I'd be Romaine again, and Alexis would be Avery again."  
  
"I see." Brass answered, a little uneasy. "So where did you, er...Avery, Peter and Maria live then?"  
  
"First in Miami, for.. a year. Then we went to....Chicago and then we came to Las Vegas. They had a _lot_ of friends."  
  
"And bringing around presents? How did that go?"  
  
Reese sighed softly. "They gave us the present, I'd carry it with one hand and hold Avery's hand with the other. Sometimes they'd drop us off with the car and we had to walk a bit to another house. Sometimes, it was a room in the same hotel that we stayed in. Or sometimes we had to 'collect' presents."  
  
"Ah, okay, thank you." Brass nodded, then glanced at Catherine.  
  
"So, Romaine.." Cath began. "Why didn't you tell us this before? I mean, that the Byrnes weren't your real parents?"  
  
"Peter said that if we ever told anyone, we'd never see our mom and dad again. And I turned 10 today . It's the day Alexis and I can go back home."  
  
Catherine could barely stop herself from either reaching over to hug the girl, or from crying. The Byrnes had told Reese and Alexis aka Romaine and Avery, that their parents were still alive. All the while, they were using two little girls as drugs couriers.  
  
Brass looked over at Catherine and knew she was trying to be strong, but wasn't exactly succeeding.  
  
"Hey, how bout you and I go find a picture-book? Then you can tell me who the friends were that came over the day the Byrnes were shot. You think you could do that?"  
  
"Of course." Reese glanced at Catherine before following Brass out of the interrogation room.  
  
=== ---------- ----------- ------- ------ ---------- ----------  
  
As soon as Brass, Reese and the uniforms had left, Catherine let her head fall into her hands, her tears now flowing freely.  
  
"Oh my god" she whispered to the silent room, "Oh God....poor girls..."  
  
She jumped up when she suddenly felt a pair of arms around her shoulders, but relaxed when she realised who it was. "This is so..."  
  
"I know." Grissom soothed. "I know, Cath. "  
  
She turned around in her seat, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close to her. "They don't deserve this. After everything, they still...they think their parents are still alive."  
  
"They're both very strong, Cath. And we'll make sure that they'll be alright. I promise."  
  
Catherine nodded and let out a shaky breath as she pulled away from him. "I'm gonna hold you to that, you know."  
  
"Wouldn't have it any other way." He gazed around the room. "Come on, let's go find Alex...um...Avery."  
  
She nodded. "You know... I just don't know how to tell them about their parents, Gil."  
  
He extended a hand and gently pulled her up. "We'll tell them _together_."  
  
---- ----------- -------------- ------------ ------------------

**TBC?** – _To follow_: the last chapter :(


End file.
